KR20100048545A - Air-conditioner and the control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An air-conditioner and a control method thereof are provided to make the temperature of an indoor space uniform by controlling the direction and volume of air delivered to an area where temperature is not uniform. CONSTITUTION: An air-conditioner comprises a driving unit, a sensor module(130), and a control unit. The sensor module rotation-scans multiple areas during the operation of the driving unit and outputs the detection signals on heat emitted from the multiple areas. The control unit changes the temperature of the multiple areas corresponding to the multiple detection signals and produces a condition value based on the temperature of the multiple areas.

Description

Air conditioner and its control method

The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a control method thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to an air conditioner and a method of controlling the air conditioner and the wind direction of the air conditioner so that the temperature distribution of the indoor space is balanced.

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

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

Recently, studies have been actively conducted to create a comfortable indoor space by adjusting the air volume and the air direction of the air conditioning air according to the temperature conditions of the indoor space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner and a control method thereof in which the air volume and the air direction of the air conditioner can be easily adjusted so that the temperature distribution of the indoor space is balanced.

The air conditioner according to the present invention includes a driving means for adjusting the wind direction and the air volume of the air conditioning air, a sensor module for outputting a plurality of detection signals for heat radiated from the plurality of areas by rotating scanning a plurality of areas during the operation of the driving means; Calculating a plurality of region temperatures corresponding to the plurality of detection signals, generating a condition value based on the plurality of region temperatures, and controlling the driving means by either normal control or variable control through the condition value and the reference value Control means.

In addition, the control method of the air conditioner according to the present invention, adjusting the wind direction and the air volume of the air conditioning air according to the normal control, and outputs a plurality of detection signals for the heat radiated from the plurality of areas by rotating scanning the plurality of areas Calculating a plurality of region temperatures corresponding to the plurality of detection signals, generating a condition value based on the plurality of region temperatures, and determining whether the condition value is greater than or equal to a reference value, and as a result of the determination, the condition If the value is greater than or equal to the reference value, the operation is performed with variable control, and if the condition value is less than the reference value, the operation is performed with the normal control.

An air conditioner and a control method thereof according to the present invention detect a region temperature corresponding to a plurality of regions by rotating scanning a plurality of thermopiles in a plurality of regions of an indoor space, and an area in which temperature imbalance occurs on the interior space. By controlling the wind direction and the air volume to reach the air conditioning air, it is possible to balance the temperature of the indoor space to improve the comfort of the user.

In addition, the air conditioner and the control method according to the present invention, by displaying the temperature of the area corresponding to any of the plurality of areas and the plurality of areas of the indoor space, the user can determine the wind direction and the air volume of the notification air, the product properties of the product And the effect of improving efficiency.

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

1 is a perspective view showing when the air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention is stopped, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views when the air conditioner shown in FIG. 1 is in operation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The upper panel is disposed in the upper front of the cabinet 20, and left air discharge holes 8 are formed in the left discharge part (not shown) in the left and right directions, or open in the left front direction. Here, the left discharge part is recessed inwardly of the main body 2 so that the left wind direction control part 24 provided to protrude on the left vane 22 is inserted and received when the left vane 22 is closed.

In addition, the upper panel is formed with a right discharge part (not shown), and the right air discharge port 10 is formed in the right discharge part so as to be opened in the left and right directions or is formed to be opened in the right front direction.

Here, the right discharge part is formed to be recessed in the inner direction of the main body 2 so that the right wind direction control unit 28 protruding from the right vane 26 is inserted and received when the right vane 26 is closed.

In addition, the front panel 30 is connected to the front of the main body 2 to be rotated to the center to one side of the left and right. The front panel 30 forms a front side appearance of the air conditioner, and may be fixedly mounted to at least one of the base 12, the left lower panel, the right lower panel and the upper panel, and the left side Of course, the base 12 and the left lower panel and the right lower panel and the upper panel may be rotatably connected to one side of the left and right sides to open and close a space between the lower panel and the lower right panel.

And inside the main body 2, a blower (not shown) for generating the air volume of the air conditioning air, that is, the blowing force so as to suck the indoor air into the main body 2 and discharge it to the outside of the main body 2, It includes an indoor heat exchanger (not shown) for heat-exchanging the air blown by the blower with the refrigerant.

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

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

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

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

The main body 2 has a sensor module 130 formed above the discharge port unit 40, and the sensor module 130 detects heat emitted from the indoor space by rotating scanning the indoor space.

Here, the sensor module 130 may include a plurality of thermopiles, and may be formed to rotate the plurality of thermopiles in at least one of up, down, left, and right directions. In this case, the sensor module 130 may also sense the entire interior space while rotating in the left and right and up and down directions.

On the other hand, the sensor module 130 may divide the entire indoor space into any plurality of areas to detect the area temperature corresponding to the plurality of areas through the plurality of thermopile.

The sensor module 130 is formed on the upper portion of the discharge port unit 40 in the above embodiment, but is not limited thereto. The sensor module 130 may be formed inside or on another portion of the main body 2.

4 is a control block diagram illustrating a configuration of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the air conditioner includes an input unit 110, an output unit 120, a sensor module 130, a control unit 140, a driving unit 150, and a power supply unit 160.

The input means 110 includes at least one data input device for inputting data through a pressing operation or a touch, and transmits the data to the control means 140.

In addition, the input unit 110 inputs a user command and setting data according to the operation of the indoor unit (not shown), and receives a driving command or an operation stop command of the indoor unit and transmits it to the control unit 140.

The output means 120 includes display means capable of outputting letters, numbers, and symbol images, and displays an operating state of the indoor unit or an outdoor unit (not shown) and a state in which the indoor space is divided into a plurality of areas. .

In this case, the output unit 120 may further include a speaker or a lamp, and outputs a warning sound or an effect sound according to the operating state, or outputs an operating state of the indoor unit or the outdoor unit by causing the lamp to light or flash.

In addition, the output means 120 may output an input screen and a control menu of a user command through the display means according to the control command of the control means 140.

The sensor module 130 includes a plurality of thermopiles (not shown) and a motor (not shown) for rotating the plurality of thermopiles by a predetermined range.

Here, the predetermined range is 150 degrees or more and 170 degrees or less, or rotates 360 degrees. That is, the predetermined range is rotated 150 degrees or more and 170 degrees or less in the case of the stand type air conditioner, and 360 degrees in the case of the ceiling type air conditioner.

The plurality of thermopiles detects and transmits a detection signal for heat radiating corresponding to the plurality of areas through rotational scanning of a plurality of areas obtained by dividing an indoor space to the control means 130.

That is, the plurality of thermopiles are disposed so as to have different angles from the ground, and are detected by rotationally scanning the temperature of each of the divided plurality of regions.

The plurality of thermopiles may rotate in at least one of up, down, left, and right directions, and detect a human body located in a specific area among the plurality of areas.

The sensor module 130 detects heat radiated from the plurality of regions by rotating up and down or left and right at predetermined time intervals by the motor.

At this time, the control means 140 calculates the region temperature corresponding to each of the plurality of regions through the detection signal corresponding to the plurality of regions, and outputs the region temperature corresponding to the plurality of regions and the plurality of regions. And transmits a control command to the means 120.

The control means 140 generates a condition value based on the temperature calculation unit 142 that calculates the plurality of region temperatures corresponding to the plurality of regions according to the plurality of detection signals, and the condition values based on the plurality of region temperatures. The condition comparison unit 144 for comparing the reference value with the reference value and the driving means 150 are controlled by the normal control when the condition value is less than the reference value, and the driving means 150 is controlled when the condition value is equal to or greater than the reference value. The control unit 146 controls by the variable control.

Here, the condition comparison unit 144 generates the condition value which is an average temperature for the plurality of region temperatures and a temperature error value of each of the plurality of regions for the plurality of region temperatures.

In the variable control, the control unit 146 changes the wind direction of the air-conditioning air to a specific area in which the error value is greater than or equal to the reference value, and adjusts the intensity of the air volume more strongly than the normal control. To control.

In addition, the controller 146 controls the driving means 150 to the normal control when the error value of the specific region is less than the reference value among the variable controls.

That is, when the temperature imbalance of the indoor space is generated through the distribution of the region temperatures corresponding to the plurality of regions, the control unit 140 has the region temperature of the specific region in which the region temperature of the specific region in which the temperature imbalance occurs is generated. The variable control is performed to control the driving means 150 to be substantially the same as.

The driving means 150 includes an indoor fan 151, an indoor heat exchanger 153, a valve adjusting means 155, a wind direction adjusting means 157, and an outlet control means 159.

The indoor fan 151 is a device for discharging cold / hot air generated by the indoor heat exchanger 153 to the room, and is provided on one side of the indoor heat exchanger 153.

At this time, the indoor fan 151 is connected to a motor (not shown), rotates by the rotational force of the motor to generate wind. That is, the indoor fan 151 is a means for adjusting the amount of air discharged into the room because the amount of air discharged into the room varies according to the rotational speed of the motor.

The indoor heat exchanger 153 heats the surrounding air by evaporating or condensing the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit, thereby generating cold or warm air.

On the other hand, the valve adjusting means 155 includes a plurality of valves, according to the control command of the control unit 140, by adjusting the opening amount of the valve connected to the refrigerant pipe, the type of refrigerant flowing into the indoor heat exchanger 153 And the amount of the refrigerant, or the refrigerant is expanded and supplied to the indoor heat exchanger (153).

The wind direction adjusting means 157 is a device for adjusting the direction of the air discharged into the room, is provided in the discharge port of the case of the indoor unit, so that the discharged air is changed up, down, left and right. At this time, the wind direction control means 157 includes a louver, vanes provided in the indoor unit discharge port.

The discharge port control means 159 controls the opening degree of the left discharge port and the right discharge port, and controls the opening degree of the air discharge port provided in the upper part of the main body 2.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view and a plan view illustrating a plurality of regions detected by the sensor module shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 5, the air conditioner will be briefly described as having a sensor module 130 installed on an upper end of a main body 2 of a stand type air conditioner.

Here, the first, second, third, and fourth thermopiles 132, 134, 136, and 138 are vertically layered and integrally formed to be rotated in the same manner by the motor.

In the present invention, the sensor module 130 has been described as including four thermopile, but not limited to the number, and also described for the convenience of the description of the four thermopile layered vertically, but horizontally predetermined It may be formed spaced apart.

The sensor module 130 rotates the first, second, third, and fourth thermopiles 132, 134, 136, and 138 and the first, second, third, and fourth thermopiles 132, 134, 136, and 138 from side to side. It includes a motor (not shown).

The first thermopile 132 outputs a first detection signal for the heat dissipated in the first area S1 at a first angle A1, and the second thermopile 134 is formed at a second angle A2. The second detection signal is output for the heat dissipated in the second region S2, and the third thermopile 136 outputs the third detection signal for the heat dissipated in the third region S3 at the third angle A3. In addition, the fourth thermopile 138 outputs a first detection signal for the heat emitted from the fourth region S4 at the fourth angle A4.

In this case, the first, second, third, and fourth thermopiles 132, 134, 136, and 138 output the respective first, second, third, and fourth detection signals to the control means 140.

Here, the first, second, third, and fourth angles A1, A2, A3, and A4 are angles different from each other, and boundary portions between regions overlap only an allowable error range.

FIG. 6 is a screen diagram showing a plurality of areas displayed on the output means shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 6, the air conditioner according to a control command of the control means 140 includes a plurality of areas P and a location area in which the room temperature, time, humidity, wind direction, air volume, and the human body are located and operated in the output means 120. Information and the like are displayed, but not limited thereto.

Here, the plurality of areas P is an area including the first, second, third, and fourth areas S1 to S4 detected by the plurality of thermopiles 132, 134, 136, and 138, which are the control means 140. It is set to and displayed on the output means 120.

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

At this time, the output means 120 displays the region temperature corresponding to each of the plurality of regions P calculated by the control means 120 as one of color density, contrast or color according to the control command of the control means 120. do.

That is, the control means 120 calculates the plurality of region temperatures corresponding to the plurality of regions P, and then calculates an average value through the plurality of region temperatures, and calculates an average value of each region temperature of the plurality of regions P. The condition value, which is a temperature error value, is calculated, the condition value is compared with the reference value, and when the condition value is greater than or equal to the reference value, the high temperature region (C_H) is classified into a normal region (C_V) if the condition value is less than the reference value, Control to be displayed on the output means 120.

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

Referring to FIG. 7, the air conditioner drives the driving means under normal control (S100).

That is, the control means 140 drives the driving means 140 to the normal control according to the input command input through the input means 110.

The indoor space is divided into a plurality of regions, and the sensor module is rotated and scanned to output a plurality of detection signals for heat radiated from the plurality of regions (S102).

That is, the control unit 140 controls the sensor module 130 to scan the plurality of areas by rotation, and receives a plurality of detection signals for the heat emitted from the plurality of areas from the sensor module 130.

At this time. The sensor module 130 includes a plurality of thermopiles and a motor, and outputs the plurality of detection signals from the plurality of thermopiles.

A plurality of region temperatures corresponding to the plurality of detection signals are calculated (S104).

That is, the control means 140 calculates a plurality of region temperatures corresponding to the plurality of regions through the plurality of detection signals.

The control means 140 calculates the plurality of region temperatures by calculating the plurality of detection signals according to a set calculation program.

A condition value is generated based on the plurality of region temperatures to determine whether the condition value is greater than or equal to the reference value (S106).

That is, the control means 140 calculates an average temperature for the plurality of region temperatures, compares and calculates the average temperature and each of the plurality of region temperatures, so that a temperature error value of each of the plurality of regions, that is, of each of the plurality of regions, is calculated. Create a condition value.

In addition, the control means 140 controls the condition value of each of the plurality of areas to be displayed on the output means 120 in the color density and color.

As a result of the determination in step S106, if the condition value is less than the reference value, the driving means is driven with the normal control (S108). If the condition value is greater than the reference value, the driving means is driven with variable control (S110). .

That is, when the condition value is less than the reference value, the control means 140 determines that the temperature of each of the plurality of regions is equally distributed in temperature, and controls the driving means 130 with the normal control in the current operating state.

If the condition value is greater than or equal to the reference value, the control means 140 determines a specific area having the condition value greater than or equal to the reference value among the plurality of areas, and the driving means to make the area temperature of the specific area substantially the same as the remaining area. Control 150.

That is, when driving in the variable control, the control means 140 controls the driving means 150 to adjust the wind direction so that the air conditioning air is discharged to the specific region, and raise the intensity of the air volume to increase the remaining area. Control to lower the area temperature substantially the same as.

Subsequently, the control unit 140 operates the sensor module 130 again while operating in the variable control, and if it is determined whether the region temperature of the specific region is equal to the region temperature of the remaining region, the control unit 140 controls the normal control. By controlling the driving means 150.

In addition, the control unit 140 may allow the air conditioning air to be discharged directly to the specific region or to discharge the air conditioning air to the region around the specific region according to the setting for the variable control.

Then, the control means 140 controls to display the wind direction and the air volume of the air conditioning air to the output means 120.

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

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

2 and 3 are perspective views when the air conditioner shown in FIG. 1 is in operation.

4 is a control block diagram illustrating a configuration of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view and a plan view showing a plurality of regions detected by the sensor module shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a screen diagram showing a plurality of areas displayed on the output means shown in FIG. 4.

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

Claims (12)

Drive means for adjusting the air direction and the air volume of the air conditioning air; A sensor module configured to scan a plurality of areas by rotationally scanning the driving means to output a plurality of detection signals for heat radiated from the plurality of areas; And Calculating a plurality of region temperatures corresponding to the plurality of detection signals, generating a condition value based on the plurality of region temperatures, and controlling the driving means by either normal control or variable control through the condition value and the reference value An air conditioner comprising control means. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor module, A plurality of thermopiles for outputting the plurality of detection signals; And And a motor for rotating the plurality of thermopiles at a set angle. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of thermopile, Wherein each thermopile is vertically layered or formed horizontally side by side. The method of claim 1, wherein the control means, A temperature calculator configured to calculate the plurality of region temperatures; A condition comparison unit generating the condition value based on the plurality of region temperatures and comparing the condition value with the reference value; And And a control unit controlling the driving means to the normal control when the condition value is less than the reference value, and controlling the driving means to the variable control when the condition value is equal to or greater than the reference value. The method of claim 4, wherein the condition value, And generating the condition value which is an average temperature for the plurality of zone temperatures and a temperature error value of each of the plurality of zones for the plurality of zone temperatures. The method of claim 5, wherein the control unit, In the case of the variable control, the driving means is controlled to change the wind direction of the air-conditioning air to a specific region of the plurality of regions in which the error value is greater than or equal to the reference value, and to adjust the intensity of the air volume stronger than the normal control. Air conditioner. The method of claim 6, wherein the control unit, And said driving means is controlled by said normal control if the error value of said specific region is less than said reference value during said variable control. Adjusting the wind direction and the air volume of the air conditioning air according to the normal control; Outputting a plurality of detection signals for heat radiated from the plurality of regions by rotating scanning the plurality of regions; Calculating a plurality of region temperatures corresponding to the plurality of detection signals; Generating a condition value based on the plurality of region temperatures to determine whether the condition value is greater than or equal to a reference value; And if the condition value is greater than or equal to the reference value, performing operation with variable control, and if the condition value is less than the reference value, operating with normal control. The method of claim 8, wherein the output step, And a plurality of detection signals are output through a plurality of thermopiles and a motor for rotating the plurality of thermopiles. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of thermopile, A method for controlling an air conditioner, characterized in that each thermopile is vertically layered or formed horizontally side by side. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining step, And generating the condition value which is an average temperature for the plurality of zone temperatures and a temperature error value of each of the plurality of zones for the plurality of zone temperatures. The method of claim 8, wherein the variable control, And controlling the wind direction of the air-conditioning air to a specific region in which the temperature error value is equal to or greater than the condition value among the plurality of regions, and increasing the intensity of the air volume in comparison with the normal control.

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