KR20220093729A - Air conditioner and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention, an air conditioner comprises: one or more outdoor units; and a plurality of indoor units connected to the outdoor unit and a refrigerant pipe and having a plurality of outlets. The plurality of indoor units respectively can set target temperature and wind strength of each of the plurality of outlets based on body temperature data received from one or more wearable devices and a position of the wearable device.

Description

Air conditioner and control method thereof

The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a control method thereof, and to an air conditioner capable of operating in conjunction with a wearable device and a control method therefor.

The air conditioner is installed to provide a more comfortable indoor environment for humans by discharging hot and cold air into the room to create a comfortable indoor environment, controlling the indoor temperature, and purifying the indoor air.

In general, an air conditioner includes an indoor unit configured as a heat exchanger and installed indoors, and an outdoor unit configured as a compressor and a heat exchanger and supplying refrigerant to the indoor unit.

The air conditioner is controlled separately from an indoor unit composed of a heat exchanger and an outdoor unit composed of a compressor and a heat exchanger, and is operated by controlling power supplied to the compressor or the heat exchanger. In addition, at least one indoor unit may be connected to the outdoor unit, and the air conditioner may be operated in a cooling or heating mode by supplying a refrigerant to the indoor unit according to a requested operating state.

In such an air conditioner, a wind direction adjusting means is provided at the outlet to adjust the wind direction discharged into the room, and the wind direction can be changed by operating a wind direction setting button provided on a remote control or the like.

The conventional air conditioner adjusts the wind direction through manual operation as described above. However, when the user is far away or moves a lot, it is difficult to adjust the wind direction individually, so it is difficult for the user to feel comfortable.

There is a limit to such wind direction control, and recently, a technology for controlling the airflow according to the location of the user (occupant) in the room has been developed.

Prior Document 1 (Patent Publication No. 10-2008-0048864) relates to an air conditioner and an airflow control method thereof, and controls the airflow direction by determining the position of an occupant using a stereo vision camera.

Prior Document 2 (Patent Publication No. 10-2010-0076559) is an invention related to an air conditioner and an operation method for determining the position of an occupant after making the room temperature uniform and controlling the airflow. , and controls direct/indirect wind and direction according to user settings.

However, in Prior Document 1 and Prior Document 2, it is difficult to accurately track the body temperature information of a large number of people, it is difficult to control the optimized airflow according to the installation environment of the air conditioner, and a difference may occur in the comfort level felt by individual occupants.

In addition, prior document 1 and prior document 2 only describe the operation|movement of an individual device. When a large number of devices are installed in a specific space, such as an office space in a large building, there is a need for a method for optimally controlling a plurality of devices according to the situation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioner capable of efficiently operating indoor units disposed in an indoor space and a method for controlling the same.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioner capable of uniformly improving the comfort level in an indoor space using a plurality of indoor units and a method for controlling the same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioner capable of operating in conjunction with a wearable device and a method for controlling the same.

Objects of the present invention are not limited to the objects mentioned above, and other objects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In order to achieve the above or other object, an air conditioner and a control method thereof according to an aspect of the present invention provide an indoor unit, based on body temperature data received from a wearable device and a position of the wearable device, By setting the target temperature and wind strength of each outlet, efficient operation is possible.

In order to achieve the above or other object, an air conditioner according to an aspect of the present invention includes one or more outdoor units, and a plurality of indoor units connected to the outdoor units through a refrigerant pipe and having a plurality of outlets, the plurality of The indoor unit of , may set target temperatures and wind strength of each of the plurality of outlets based on body temperature data received from one or more wearable devices and a location of the wearable devices, respectively.

The plurality of indoor units may be disposed in the same indoor space.

In addition, a heating operation or a cooling operation is performed based on an average value of body temperature data received from a plurality of wearable devices located in the indoor space, and the target temperature is set higher than a current temperature during the heating operation, and the target temperature during the cooling operation The temperature may be set lower than the current temperature.

In addition, the indoor space may be divided into a plurality of zones based on the number, locations, and locations of discharge ports of the disposed indoor units.

In addition, a target temperature may be set for each area.

In addition, the wind strength may be set according to the number of people in each area.

The indoor unit may receive a wireless signal from the wearable device and determine a location of the wearable device based on a direction and strength of the wireless signal.

The indoor unit and the wearable device may wirelessly communicate via Wi-Fi through a Wi-Fi access point, and the indoor unit may determine a location of the wearable device based on signal reception strength with the Wi-Fi access point.

The plurality of indoor units may generate a temperature map of an indoor space based on body temperature data received from a plurality of wearable devices.

Also, the plurality of wearable devices may transmit the body temperature data to the nearest indoor unit among the plurality of indoor units, and the plurality of indoor units may generate a temperature map based on the received body temperature data.

Also, at least one of the plurality of indoor units may merge temperature maps generated by the plurality of indoor units.

Also, when generating the temperature map, any one of the plurality of indoor units may sequentially generate the temperature map according to a distance from the nearest wearable device to the furthest wearable device.

In addition, any one of the plurality of indoor units, a wearable device existing on a straight path to a certain wearable device may be treated as an exception in generating a temperature map.

When there is no change in the arrangement state of the wearable device, the search period may be increased.

In order to achieve the above or other object, a control method of an air conditioner according to an aspect of the present invention includes the steps of determining a location of one or more wearable devices, receiving body temperature data from the wearable device, the The method may include operating a cooling operation when the average value of the body temperature data is higher than the reference temperature, and performing a heating operation when the average value of the body temperature data is less than or equal to the reference temperature.

The indoor unit may determine the location of the wearable device based on the strength of the received wireless signal.

The plurality of indoor units are disposed in the same indoor space, and in the method of controlling an air conditioner according to an aspect of the present invention, a plurality of areas ( zone) may be further included.

The method of controlling an air conditioner according to an aspect of the present invention may further include setting a target temperature and wind strength according to the number of people per area.

The method of controlling an air conditioner according to an aspect of the present invention may further include generating, by the plurality of indoor units, a temperature map based on body temperature data received from a plurality of wearable devices.

Also, the plurality of wearable devices may transmit the body temperature data to the nearest indoor unit among the plurality of indoor units, and the plurality of indoor units may generate a temperature map based on the received body temperature data.

According to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently operate indoor units disposed in an indoor space.

Also, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to uniformly improve the comfort level in an indoor space by using a plurality of indoor units.

In addition, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioner that can operate in conjunction with a wearable device and a method for controlling the same.

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 showing the configuration of an air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a control configuration of an indoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a control configuration of an outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a watch-type wearable device related to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a diagram referenced in the description of the operation of the air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 to 9 are diagrams referenced in the description for generating a temperature map according to an embodiment of the present invention.
10 and 11 are diagrams referenced in the description for generating a temperature map according to an embodiment of the present invention.

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

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 impart a particularly important meaning or role by themselves. Accordingly, the terms “module” and “unit” may be used interchangeably.

In the present application, terms such as “comprises” or “have” are intended to designate that a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification exists, but one or more other features It should be understood that this does not preclude the existence of, or addition of, elements, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

Also, in this specification, terms such as first and second may be used to describe various elements, but these elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another.

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

Referring to FIG. 1 , the air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention may include one or more outdoor units 10 and an indoor unit 20 connected to the outdoor unit 10 through a refrigerant pipe to receive refrigerant.

In addition to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, the air conditioner system may include a ventilation device, an air purifier, a humidifier, a heater, and the like, and may further include units such as a chiller, an air conditioning unit, and a cooling tower depending on the size. In the air conditioner system, each unit may be interconnected to operate in conjunction with the operation of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. In addition, the air conditioner system may operate in connection with a building, a mobile device, a security device, an alarm device, and the like.

The air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a remote control device capable of remotely monitoring and controlling the operation status of units. Here, the remote control device may be a controller 50 , a wired/wireless remote controller 60 , or a mobile terminal 200 capable of controlling one or more units.

The controller 50 controls the operation of the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 in response to an input user command, and periodically receives and stores data on the operation state of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit corresponding thereto, and displays the monitoring screen. The operation status can be output through The controller 50 may perform operation setting, lock setting, schedule control, group control, peak control for power use, demand control, and the like for the indoor unit 20 .

The outdoor unit 10 is connected to the indoor unit 20 through a refrigerant pipe, respectively, and supplies the refrigerant to the indoor unit 20 . In addition, the outdoor unit 10 periodically communicates with the plurality of indoor units 20 to transmit/receive data to and from each other, and change the operation according to the operation setting changed from the indoor unit.

The indoor unit 20 includes an electronic expansion valve (not shown) that expands the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit 10, an indoor heat exchanger (not shown) that heat-exchanges the refrigerant, and allows indoor air to flow into the indoor heat exchanger, and the heat-exchanged air It may include an indoor unit fan (not shown) to be exposed to the room, a plurality of sensors (not shown), and a control means (not shown) for controlling the operation of the indoor unit.

In addition, the indoor unit 20 includes a discharge port (not shown) for discharging heat-exchanged air, and a wind direction control means (not shown) for opening and closing the discharge port and controlling the direction of the discharged air is provided at the discharge port. The indoor unit controls the intake air and the discharged air by controlling the rotation speed of the indoor unit fan, and adjusts the air volume. The indoor unit 20 may further include an output unit for displaying the operation state and setting information of the indoor unit and an input unit for inputting setting data. In this case, the indoor unit 20 may transmit setting information for operation of the air conditioner to a connected remote controller (not shown), output it through the remote controller, and receive data.

A remote controller (not shown) is connected to the indoor unit by a wired or wireless communication method, inputs a user command to the indoor unit, receives data from the indoor unit, and outputs the received data. The remote control may transmit a user command to the indoor unit and perform one-way communication in which data from the indoor unit is not received, or perform two-way communication in which data is transmitted/received between the indoor unit and the indoor unit according to a connection method with the indoor unit.

The outdoor unit 10 operates in a cooling mode or a heating mode in response to data received from the connected indoor unit 20 or a control command from the controller, and supplies refrigerant to the connected indoor unit.

When a plurality of outdoor units are connected, each outdoor unit may be connected to a plurality of indoor units, and a refrigerant may be supplied to the plurality of indoor units through a distributor.

The outdoor unit 10 includes at least one compressor that compresses the refrigerant and discharges a high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, an accumulator that separates the gaseous refrigerant and the liquid refrigerant from the refrigerant to prevent non-vaporized liquid refrigerant from flowing into the compressor, An oil recoverer that recovers oil from the refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger that condenses or evaporates the refrigerant by heat exchange with the outside air, and an outdoor heat exchanger that introduces air into the outdoor heat exchanger to facilitate heat exchange between the outdoor heat exchangers and removes the heat-exchanged air to the outside. A fan of the outdoor unit that discharges, a four-way valve that changes the refrigerant flow path according to the operation mode of the outdoor unit, at least one pressure sensor measuring pressure, at least one temperature sensor measuring temperature, controlling the operation of the outdoor unit and communicating with other units It may include a control configuration for performing communication. The outdoor unit 10 may further include a plurality of other sensors, valves, supercoolers, and the like, but a description thereof will be omitted below.

In addition, the air conditioner system may transmit/receive data to and from another air conditioner through a network connection such as the Internet. The air conditioner can connect to an external service center, management server, database, etc. through the controller, and can communicate with an external terminal connected through a network. The terminal may connect to at least one unit of the air conditioner system and monitor and control the operation of the air conditioner system as a second controller.

In addition, units in the air conditioner system, such as the outdoor unit 10 , the indoor unit 20 , and the controller 50 may directly communicate with each other. In addition, the indoor unit 20 may directly communicate with the mobile terminal 200 and the like in a wireless communication method. The mobile terminal 200 may output a user interface screen for monitoring the state of the air conditioner. Accordingly, the user can freely monitor the state of each unit included in the air conditioner and control each unit through the mobile terminal 200 .

The outdoor unit 10 is connected to the plurality of indoor units 20 and refrigerant pipes P1, P2, and P3, respectively, and may transmit/receive data through a wired or wireless communication method.

The outdoor unit 10 periodically communicates with the plurality of indoor units 20 to transmit/receive data to and from each other, and change operation according to operation settings changed from the indoor unit.

The indoor unit 20 may communicate with the outdoor unit 10 as well as communicate with the controller 50 through a wired or wireless communication method.

The first outdoor unit 10 is connected to the first to third indoor units 21 to 23 and the first refrigerant pipe P1, and the second outdoor unit 12 is connected to the fourth to sixth indoor units 23 to 26 and the second outdoor unit 12. It is connected to the second refrigerant pipe P2, and the third outdoor unit 13 is connected to the seventh to ninth indoor units 27 to 29 and the third refrigerant pipe P3. For convenience of description, it is described that three indoor units are connected to each outdoor unit, but it is specified that this is only an example and is not limited to the number of indoor units or the shape of the indoor units shown.

As the first outdoor unit 11 operates, refrigerant is supplied from the first outdoor unit 10 to the first to third indoor units, and the fourth to sixth indoor units 23 to 26 are operated by the second outdoor unit 12 . As a result, the refrigerant is supplied through the second refrigerant pipe P2, and the refrigerant is supplied from the third outdoor unit 13 to the seventh to ninth indoor units 27 to 29 through the third refrigerant pipe P3.

Groups of the air conditioner may be set based on the outdoor unit, and each group may communicate using a different channel. Since the indoor unit performs heat exchange based on the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit to discharge hot and cold air, the indoor unit and the outdoor unit connected through the refrigerant pipe may be set as one group.

For example, the first outdoor unit 11 forms a first group with the first to third indoor units 21 to 23 connected to the first refrigerant pipe P1 , and the second outdoor unit 12 includes the second refrigerant A second group is formed with fourth to sixth indoor units 24 to 26 connected through a pipe P2, and the third outdoor unit 13 includes seventh to ninth indoor units connected through a third refrigerant pipe P3 ( 27 to 29) and may form a third group. The outdoor unit and the controller can also be grouped according to the installation location. According to an embodiment, the connection state by the refrigerant pipe may be classified based on whether the temperature of the indoor unit changes according to the refrigerant supply to the outdoor unit by operating the outdoor unit and the indoor unit.

Meanwhile, at least units included in the same group may perform wired or some communication with each other.

Meanwhile, the controller 50 may communicate with the indoor unit 20 or the outdoor unit 10 irrespective of a group.

The controller 50 controls the operation of the plurality of indoor units 20 and the outdoor unit 10 in response to an input user command, and periodically receives and stores data on the operating states of the plurality of indoor units and outdoor units corresponding thereto. , the operation status is output through the monitoring screen.

The controller 50 may be connected to the plurality of indoor units 20 to perform operation setting, lock setting, schedule control, group control, peak control for power use, demand control, and the like for the indoor units. Also, the controller 50 communicates with the outdoor unit to control the outdoor unit and monitor the operation of the outdoor unit.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention provides a mobile terminal 200 capable of checking and controlling the states of units such as an outdoor unit 10 , an indoor unit 20 , and a controller 50 . ) may be included.

The mobile terminal 200 may include an application for controlling the air conditioner system, and may check and control the state of the air conditioner system through execution of the application.

The mobile terminal 200 may include, for example, a smart phone 200a, a notebook PC 200b, a tablet PC 200c, and a wearable device 200d, in which an application for an air conditioner system is mounted.

Meanwhile, the mobile terminal 200 may wirelessly communicate with units of the air conditioner system, such as the outdoor unit 10 , the indoor unit 20 , and the controller 50 .

2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a control configuration of an indoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a control configuration of an outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The unit in the air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention may be one of an indoor unit unit, an outdoor unit unit, and a controller of the air conditioner system.

2 and 3 , the units 100a and 100b of the air conditioner system include a driving unit 140 , a sensing unit 170 , an output unit 160 , an input unit 150 , a storage unit 130 , It may include a communication unit 120 and a control unit 110 for controlling overall operations.

This is a configuration commonly included in each unit, and a separate configuration may be added according to the characteristics of the product.

For example, the indoor units 20 and 100a include a vane 141b as a wind direction control means, and include the indoor unit fan 142b and a plurality of valves. 141a) and the like may be provided, respectively.

Meanwhile, the outdoor units 10 and 100b may include a compressor 143b, an outdoor unit fan 144b, and a plurality of valves 145b. Accordingly, the driving unit of the outdoor units 10 and 100b may be divided into a compressor driving unit 143a, an outdoor unit fan driving unit 144a, and a valve control unit 145a.

Meanwhile, the type, number, and installation location of the sensors included in the sensing unit 170 may be configured differently depending on the type of the unit.

The unit may communicate with another unit, the mobile terminal 200, and the like, through the communication unit 120 . The communication unit 120 of at least some units may include a wireless communication module to perform wireless communication with the mobile terminal 200 and the like.

The storage unit 130 stores control data for controlling the operation of the unit, communication data for address or group setting for communication with other units, data transmitted and received from the outside, and operation data generated or detected during operation. . The storage unit 130 stores an execution program for each function of the unit, data for operation control, and data to be transmitted/received.

The input unit 150 includes at least one input means such as a button, a switch, and a touch input means. When a user command or predetermined data is input in response to manipulation of the input means, the input unit 150 applies the input data to the controller 110 . The outdoor unit may include a power key, a test run key, and an address setting key, and the indoor unit may include a power key, a menu input key, an operation setting key, a temperature control key, an air volume key, a lock key, and the like.

The output unit 160 may output the operating state of the unit including at least one of a lamp that is controlled to light up or blink, an audio output unit having a speaker outputting a predetermined sound, and a display. The lamp outputs whether the unit is in operation according to whether the lamp is lit, the lighting color, and whether it is flickering, and the speaker outputs a predetermined warning sound and sound effect to output the operating state. The display may output a menu screen for controlling the unit, and output a guide message or warning composed of a combination of at least one of letters, numbers, and images for operation settings or operating states of the unit.

The sensing unit 170 may include a plurality of sensors. The sensing unit 170 may include a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a gas sensor, a humidity sensor, and a flow rate sensor.

For example, a plurality of temperature sensors are provided to detect an indoor temperature, an outdoor temperature, an indoor heat exchanger temperature, an outdoor heat exchanger temperature, and a pipe temperature and input them to the controller 110 . The pressure sensors are respectively installed at the inlet and outlet of the refrigerant pipe, measure the pressure of the incoming refrigerant and the pressure of the discharged refrigerant, respectively, and input the measured pressure to the control unit 110 . The pressure sensor may be installed in the refrigerant pipe as well as the water pipe.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the indoor unit 100a may include a vane driving unit 141a, a fan driving unit 142a, an indoor unit fan 142b, and one or more vanes 141b.

The indoor unit fan 142b discharges the cold and hot air heat-exchanged by the heat exchanger into the room through the outlet.

The fan driving unit 142a controls driving of a motor that operates the indoor unit fan 142b. The fan driving unit 142a controls on/off of the indoor unit fan 142b in response to a control signal from the controller 110 and controls the indoor unit fan 142b to operate at a set speed.

The vane driving unit 141a controls opening and closing of one or more vanes 141b provided in one or more outlets in response to a control signal from the controller 110 . In addition, the vane driving unit 141a controls the opening angle of each of the vanes 141b to change the discharged wind direction. The opening angle of the vane 141b is varied by the vane driving unit 141a to change the wind direction of the discharged air. At this time, each outlet may further include a louver for adjusting the wind direction in the left and right directions.

Each of the vanes 141b may have an opening angle set within a range of 0 degrees to 90 degrees, and the opening angle may be changed step by step according to the setting.

The vane driving unit 141a may change the opening angle of each vane 141b step by step according to a control command of the control unit 110 to set it.

For example, the vane driving unit 141a may control the opening angle of the vane in 5 steps within the range of 15 to 75 degrees in units of 15 degrees. The opening angle of the vane 141b may be set in 3 to 9 steps according to the setting. In addition, the vane driving unit 141a may continuously change the opening angle of the vane within the range of 15 degrees to 75 degrees without step division when setting the swing mode.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the outdoor unit 100b may include a compressor driving unit 143a, a compressor 143b, an outdoor unit fan 144b, a fan driving unit 144a, a valve control unit 145a, and a valve 145b. .

The outdoor unit fan 144b supplies outdoor air to the outdoor heat exchanger through a rotating operation of the fan, and allows the heat-exchanged cold and hot air to be discharged to the outside. As the outdoor heat exchanger operates as a condenser during cooling operation and as an evaporator during heating operation, the outdoor unit fan 144b may discharge cold or warm air heat-exchanged in the outdoor heat exchanger to the outside.

The fan driving unit 144a may control the driving of a motor included in the outdoor unit fan 144b to control the rotational operation of the outdoor unit fan. The fan driving unit 144a may cause the outdoor unit fan 144b to operate at a set rotation speed or stop operating in response to a control signal from the control unit 110 . The fan driving unit 144a may control the rotation speed of the outdoor unit fan 144b by applying an operation signal according to a shape of a motor included in the outdoor unit fan 144b.

The valve control unit 145a may control whether or not to open or open the plurality of valves 145b provided in the outdoor unit, thereby controlling the flow rate of the refrigerant or the flow direction of the refrigerant. Since a plurality of valves 145b exist at different positions, a plurality of valve driving units may also be provided. The valve may include a four-way valve, an expansion valve, a hot gas valve, and the like.

The compressor 143b compresses and discharges the incoming refrigerant, thereby circulating the refrigerant from the outdoor unit to the indoor unit. When the low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant is introduced, the compressor 143b may compress it and discharge the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant.

The compressor driving unit 143a controls the operating power supplied to the motor provided in the compressor 143b, and accordingly controls the operating frequency of the compressor. The compressor driving unit 143a may include an inverter controlling the driving of the compressor.

4 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a watch type wearable device related to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the watch-type wearable device 200d may include a main body 201 having a display unit 251 and a band 202 connected to the main body 201 to be worn on the wrist. have.

The body 201 includes a case forming an exterior. As illustrated, the case may include a first case 201a and a second case 201b that provide an internal space for accommodating various electronic components. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a single case is configured to provide the inner space, so that the unibody wearable device 200d may be implemented. Also, the wearable device 200d may be implemented in a form other than a watch type.

The watch-type mobile terminal 200 is configured to enable wireless communication, and an antenna for the wireless communication may be installed in the main body 201 . On the other hand, the antenna can expand its performance by using a case. For example, a case including a conductive material may be electrically connected to the antenna to expand the ground area or the radiation area.

A display unit 251 may be disposed on the front surface of the main body 201 to output information, and a touch sensor may be provided on the display unit 251 to be implemented as a touch screen. As illustrated, the window 251a of the display unit 251 may be mounted on the first case 201a to form a front surface of the terminal body together with the first case 201a.

The main body 201 may include a sound output unit 252 , a camera 221 , a microphone 222 , a user input unit 223 , and the like. When the display unit 251 is implemented as a touch screen, it may function as the user input unit 223 , and accordingly, a separate key may not be provided in the main body 201 .

The band 202 is worn on the wrist to surround the wrist, and may be formed of a flexible material for easy wearing. As such, the band 202 may be formed of leather, rubber, silicone, synthetic resin, or the like. In addition, the band 202 is configured to be detachable from the body 201, and may be configured to be replaceable with a band of various types according to the user's taste.

On the other hand, the band 202 can be used to extend the performance of the antenna. For example, the band may have a built-in ground extension unit (not shown) electrically connected to the antenna to expand the ground area.

The band 202 may be provided with a fastener 202a. The fastener 202a may be implemented by a buckle, a snap-fit hook structure, or velcro (trade name), etc., and may include an elastic section or material. . In this figure, an example in which the fastener 202a is implemented in the form of a buckle is presented.

The wearable device 200d may include various sensors. For example, the wearable device 200d may include a body temperature sensor, and the body temperature sensor may sense the user's body temperature.

5 is a diagram referenced in the description of the operation of the air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

An air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an air conditioner including at least one outdoor unit 10 and an indoor unit 20 connected to the outdoor unit 10 through a refrigerant pipe, and communicates with the air conditioner It may include a mobile terminal 200 that can.

The mobile terminal 200 may wirelessly communicate with the outdoor unit 10 or the indoor unit 20 , and the air conditioner may operate in conjunction with the mobile terminal 200 . For example, the air conditioner may perform optimal automatic operation by identifying whether a user is occupant or not, the number of occupants in the indoor space, etc., based on a signal transmitted from the mobile terminal 200 to the indoor unit 20 . have.

More preferably, the mobile terminal may be a wearable device 200d. Since the wearable device 200d is directly worn by the user and comes into contact with the body, body temperature information can be sensed more accurately. It also has the advantage of improving accuracy.

Meanwhile, the indoor unit 20 may include a plurality of discharge ports. The indoor unit 20 may control the strength of the wind discharged to each of the plurality of outlets. In addition, a vane capable of adjusting the wind direction is installed in each of the plurality of outlets, and by controlling the vanes, it is possible to control the wind direction for each outlet. For example, the indoor unit 20 may be a ceiling-type indoor unit 31 or 32 having a discharge port in four directions.

At least one of the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 determines the target temperature and wind strength of each of the plurality of outlets based on body temperature data received from one or more wearable devices 200d and the position of the wearable device 200d. can be set.

More preferably, each of the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 includes a target temperature of each of the plurality of outlets based on body temperature data received from the wearable device 200d and a position of the wearable device 200d. You can set the wind speed.

The plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 are disposed in the same indoor space 1 to perform air conditioning in the same indoor space 1 . As described above, the large indoor space 1 in which the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 are disposed needs to be uniformly and comfortably throughout the entire space.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, based on the body temperature data received from the wearable device 200d and the position of the wearable device 200d, the plurality of outlets of the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 may be controlled, respectively. Therefore, the indoor space 1 can be precisely air-conditioned and the overall space comfort can be uniformly improved.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the wearable device 200d may sense the user's body temperature and transmit it to at least one of the indoor units 31 and 32 .

The indoor units 31 and 32 may receive a wireless signal from the wearable device 200d and determine the location of the wearable device 200d based on the direction and strength of the wireless signal.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the indoor units 31 and 32 and the wearable device 200d may wirelessly communicate over Wi-Fi through a Wi-Fi access point (AP) 300 .

In this case, the wearable device 200d may detect the user's body temperature and transmit it to the Wi-Fi AP 300 .

The indoor units 31 and 32 may determine the location of the wearable device 200d based on the signal reception strength with the Wi-Fi access point 300 .

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the indoor units 31 and 32 may provide a user location-based service by analyzing a difference in information (body temperature) of users and reflecting the difference in control.

Meanwhile, the indoor space 1 may be divided into a plurality of zones based on the number and positions of the disposed indoor units 31 and 32 and the positions of the discharge ports of the indoor units 31 and 32 . The plurality of areas may be designated by mutual communication between the indoor units 31 and 32 or may be designated by an administrator.

Referring to FIG. 5 , when the ceiling-type indoor units 31 and 32 having four-way outlets are located in the room, the air conditioning areas A, B, C, and D according to the four-direction of the ceiling-type indoor units 31 and 32 are discharged. , E, F, G can be defined.

When the user wearing the wearable device 200d is located somewhere in the room, the indoor units 31 and 32, the user through the signal reception strength (RSS) with the wearable device 200d or the Wi-Fi access point 300 (ex. C)

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a target temperature may be set for each of the areas A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, and the temperature and comfort level may be managed for each area. By setting different target temperatures for each area A, B, C, D, E, F, or G, a specific area may be intensively cooled or heated. In addition, by setting the target temperature differently for each area (A, B, C, D, E, F, G), the area with a large temperature difference from the average temperature of the indoor space 1 becomes the average temperature more quickly. 1) Amenities can be managed uniformly.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the wind strength may be set according to the number of people in the areas A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Humans become a heat source that generates heat as they move, and they are the subject of a feeling of comfort according to the operation of the air conditioner. Accordingly, it is possible to perform stronger ventilation in an area where there are many people, thereby improving comfort and fullness.

Meanwhile, the controller 110 of the indoor units 31 and 32 controls the angles of the FAN 142b, EEV, and vane 141b based on the user body temperature and location information transmitted from the wearable device 200d to control the wind. Intensity, direction, and temperature can be controlled.

For example, the indoor units 31 and 32 may set an optimal indoor temperature based on average body temperature information of users in the room.

In addition, the indoor units 31 and 32 may set an optimum temperature based on the average body temperature information of users, and may automatically perform a cooling/heating operation to achieve the set optimum temperature.

The indoor units 31 and 32 may perform a heating operation or a cooling operation based on an average value of body temperature data received from a plurality of wearable devices 200d located in the indoor space 1 .

During the heating operation, the target temperature may be set higher than a current temperature, and during the cooling operation, the target temperature may be set lower than the current temperature.

The indoor units 31 and 32 may transmit a signal to the outdoor unit 10 when a cooling operation or a heating operation is determined, and the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor units 31 and 32 may be operated according to a cooling or heating cycle.

In addition, the indoor units 31 and 32 control the wind direction by adjusting the angle of each vane 141b according to the location of the users, and control the wind strength by changing the speed of the FAN 142b, thereby providing a comfortable wind to the user. can do.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the controller 110 of the indoor units 31 and 32 operates the indoor units 31 and 32 through the biosignal and Wi-Fi wireless communication data obtained from the wearable device 200d. mode can be controlled automatically.

Meanwhile, the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 may generate a temperature map of an indoor space based on body temperature data received from the plurality of wearable devices 200d.

The plurality of wearable devices 200d1 , 200d2 , 200d3 , 200d4 , 200d5 , and 200d6 may include a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of each point. The indoor units 31 and 32 may generate an indoor temperature map based on point-by-point temperature data received from the plurality of wearable devices 200d.

In addition, the plurality of wearable devices 200d transmit the body temperature data to the nearest indoor unit among the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32, and the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 respectively receive body temperature data or temperature data. It is possible to create a temperature map based on At least one of the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 may generate an overall temperature map for the indoor space 1 by merging the temperature maps generated by the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 . Also, the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 may generate and share an entire temperature map for the indoor space 1 .

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when generating the temperature map, any one of the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 is located at a distance from the nearest wearable device 200d to the furthest wearable device 200d. Temperature maps can be generated sequentially according to the

In this case, in order to generate an optimal path, any one of the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 and the wearable device 200d existing on a straight path to a wearable device 200d process an exception in temperature map generation can do.

Meanwhile, when there is no change in the arrangement state of the wearable device 200d, the search period may be increased.

When the wearable device 200d moves, the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 determine a location by searching for the wearable device 200d at a predetermined search cycle. By increasing the cycle, it is possible to save computational power and power consumption.

In addition, the wearable device 200d searches for the indoor units 31 and 32 in a predetermined search period and transmits a signal, and increases the search period if there is no movement for a predetermined time, thereby saving battery consumption.

When the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 and the wearable device 200d operate in association with each other, the first search cycle is searched, and when the wearable device 200d does not move for a predetermined time, the first search cycle is longer than the first search cycle. The search may be performed in the second search period.

Alternatively, when the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 and the wearable device 200d operate in association with each other, the first search cycle is used to search, and if there is no movement of the wearable device 200d for a predetermined time, the search cycle is gradually changed. can increase

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the direction and strength of the wind may be controlled by reflecting a plurality of user information. In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, energy can be saved by providing an appropriate wind strength according to the location of each user.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, by automatically controlling the temperature and wind strength, the user is satisfied with the comfort of the indoor sensible temperature, and energy efficiency can be increased by controlling the airflow for an even temperature.

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

Referring to FIG. 6 , the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention may determine the positions of one or more wearable devices 200d ( S610 ). More preferably, the indoor units 31 and 32 disposed in the predetermined indoor space 1 may determine the position of the wearable device 200d existing in the same indoor space 1 .

The indoor units 31 and 32 may determine the location of the wearable device 200d based on the strength of the received radio signal. For example, the indoor units 31 and 32 may determine the location of the wearable device 200d based on the strength of a wireless signal directly received from the wearable device 200d.

Alternatively, the indoor units 31 and 32 may determine the location of the wearable device 200d based on the strength of a wireless signal directly received from the wearable device 200d.

Alternatively, the indoor units 31 and 32 may determine the location of the wearable device 200d based on the strength of the wireless signal received from the access point 300 .

In addition, the indoor units 31 and 32 may determine the position of the wearable device 200d with the access point 300 in a triangulation method.

The wearable device 200d may sense the user's body temperature and transmit the sensed body temperature data to the indoor units 31 and 32 .

The wearable device 200d may include a sensor capable of measuring body temperature and a Wi-Fi wireless communication module.

In the wearable device 200d, there may be an application capable of transmitting the user's body temperature and location obtained through the body temperature sensor to the indoor unit communication unit 120 through the communication module.

The indoor units 31 and 32 may receive body temperature data from the wearable device 200d (S620).

Thereafter, the indoor units 31 and 32 may set a target temperature based on the body temperature data received from the wearable device 200d and automatically operate the unit.

The plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 may have a plurality of outlets, and the temperature and wind strength of each outlet may be adjusted. The plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 may adjust temperature and wind strength for each outlet based on body temperature data received from the wearable device 200d.

The indoor units 31 and 32 may calculate an average value of the received body temperature data (S630).

When the average value of the body temperature data is higher than the reference temperature (S640), the indoor units 31 and 32 may perform a cooling operation (S650). During cooling operation, the target temperature can be set a degree lower than the current temperature.

Also, when the average value of the body temperature data is equal to or less than the reference temperature (S640), the indoor units 31 and 32 may perform a heating operation (S660). During the heating operation, the target temperature can be set to b degree higher than the current temperature.

According to an embodiment, the indoor space 1 may be divided into a plurality of air conditioning zones based on the number, positions, and locations of discharge ports of the indoor units disposed therein, and a target temperature and You can set the wind speed.

The plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 may determine the number of occupants of the indoor space 1 (S630). Also, during the cooling or heating operation, the wind strength may be set according to the determined number of people (S650 and S660).

Using the body temperature information of users in the set area, the air conditioner automatically operates as cooling or heating, and the optimum temperature can be controlled. For example, when the average body temperature is 36.5 degrees or more, the air conditioner operates as a cooling system and is set to a temperature lower than the current indoor temperature (S650). When the average body temperature is 36.5 degrees or less, the air conditioner is operated by heating and is set to a temperature higher than the current indoor temperature (S660).

The air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention may adjust the wind strength of an indoor unit vane that provides wind to the corresponding area to strong/medium/weak according to the number of users in the set area. In addition, the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention does not discharge wind to an area where there are no people.

The plurality of wearable devices 200d may transmit the body temperature data to the nearest indoor unit among the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 , and the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 may receive the body temperature data from the plurality of wearable devices 200d. A temperature map may be generated based on the received body temperature data.

7 to 9 are diagrams referenced in the description for generating a temperature map according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7 , a plurality of wearable devices 200d1 , 200d2 , 200d3 , 200d4 , 200d5 , and 200d6 may measure the body temperature of a user wearing it. The indoor units 31 and 32 may generate a temperature map of the indoor space 1 based on body temperature data received from the plurality of wearable devices 200d.

According to an embodiment, the plurality of wearable devices 200d1 , 200d2 , 200d3 , 200d4 , 200d5 , and 200d6 may include a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of each point. The indoor units 31 and 32 may generate an indoor temperature map based on point-by-point temperature data received from the plurality of wearable devices 200d.

Referring to FIG. 8 , a plurality of wearable devices 200d1 , 200d2 , 200d3 , 200d4 , 200d5 , and 200d6 may be searched for in the order of units (distance L) closest to the indoor unit units 31 and 32 .

A map of the plurality of wearable devices 200d1 , 200d2 , 200d3 , 200d4 , 200d5 , and 200d6 of a measurable area may be generated by the indoor unit units 31 and 32 , which are masters. On the other hand, in case of overlapping measurement with another master unit, it is possible to prevent overlapping processing by determining as a slave of a master unit having a close distance.

Data of the plurality of wearable devices 200d1 and 200d2 close to the first indoor unit 31 are processed by the first indoor unit 31 . Data of the plurality of wearable devices 200d4 , 200d5 , and 200d6 close to the second indoor unit 32 are processed in the second indoor unit 32 . The data of the wearable device 200d3 in the overlapping area is processed in the closer second indoor unit 32 .

The first indoor unit 31 generates a temperature map based on the data of the plurality of wearable devices 200d1 and 200d2 in order of distance. The second indoor unit 32 generates a temperature map using data of the plurality of wearable devices 200d3 , 200d4 , 200d5 , and 200d6 in order of distance.

Referring to FIG. 9 , the temperature map of the entire indoor space 1 may be generated by merging the temperature map generated by the first indoor unit 31 and the temperature map generated by the second indoor unit 32 .

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an optimal path for each point may be generated for controlling the indoor units 31 and 32 based on a plurality of temperature measurement points.

At this time, the distance, temperature, and position between the temperature measurement points of the indoor units 31 and 32 and the wearable devices 200d3, 200d4, 200d5, and 200d6 are used as control factor values, and the distance and direction measurement using a wireless signal makes an error It can be applied to control by calculating the range.

Meanwhile, when generating a map, the selection condition between each point may be determined according to a probability by a combination of distance and direction measurement values.

As a map creation method that can cope with fluid situations, it is possible to directly reflect the indoor situation by creating an optimal route in real time.

Meanwhile, after the map is created, the optimal air conditioning may be performed for each indoor unit 31 , 32 , each outlet, and each area based on the generated temperature map.

10 and 11 are diagrams referred to in the description of the generation of a temperature map according to an embodiment of the present invention, and show examples of application to generation of an optimal path.

If maps are generated in the order closest to the indoor unit, which is the master, during map creation, the path moves back and forth like a zigzag, inefficiently generated and complicated, making it difficult to apply to control.

Referring to FIG. 10 , when the map is generated, the maps are generated in the order of 200d4-200d3-200d2-200d5-200d1-200d6 in the order closest to the master indoor unit 30 . Such map generation is difficult to apply to control.

To solve this problem, a clustering method can be applied.

Referring to FIG. 11 , the slave points of each wearable device 200d1 , 200d2 , 200d3 , 200d4 , 200d5 , and 200d6 are connected only once when a map is generated.

Also, a map path having a short distance between the wearable devices 200d1, 200d2, 200d3, 200d4, 200d5, and 200d6 is preferentially selected.

On the other hand, according to an embodiment of the present invention, when generating the temperature map, any one of the plurality of indoor units 31 and 32 is from the nearest wearable device 200d to the furthest wearable device 200d, Temperature maps can be generated sequentially according to distance.

In this case, in order to generate an optimal path, any one of the plurality of indoor units and the wearable device 200d existing on a straight path to a wearable device 200d may be treated as an exception in the generation of the temperature map. That is, if there are two or more slave units in a straight line distance from the indoor unit 30 that is the master, a nearby slave unit may be treated as an exception.

Referring to FIG. 10 , the slave third wearable device 200d3 existing between the first slave wearable device 200d1 and the straight path of the master indoor unit 30 is treated as an exception and is not used for map generation.

In addition, the fourth slave wearable device 200d4 existing between the sixth slave wearable device 200d6 and the straight path of the master indoor unit 30 is treated as an exception and is not used for map generation.

Meanwhile, when the location of the wearable devices 200d1, 200d2, 200d3, 200d4, 200d5, and 200d6 is changed, the process of preferentially selecting a map path with a short distance between the wearable devices 200d1, 200d2, 200d3, 200d4, 200d5, 200d6 is repeated again. can start In addition, if a new wearable device is added, the initial connection process may be restarted.

Meanwhile, when there is no change in the arrangement state of the wearable devices 200d1 , 200d2 , 200d3 , 200d4 , 200d5 , and 200d6 , the discovery period may be increased.

The air conditioning control of the master indoor unit 30 may be performed by reflecting the temperature data of the wearable devices 200d1 , 200d2 , 200d3 , 200d4 , 200d5 , and 200d6 based on the generated map.

In this case, the slave third wearable device 200d3 and the fourth wearable device 200d4 omitted due to their direct location - omitted due to exception processing may be applied as the average temperature. For example, an average of the temperature data of the slave first wearable device 200d1 and the temperature data of the slave third wearable device 200d3 may be applied to the temperature data of the points of the first slave wearable device 200d1.

In the air conditioner system according to the present invention, the configuration and method of the embodiments described above are not limitedly applicable, but all or part of each embodiment is selectively implemented so that various modifications may be made to the embodiments. It may be configured in combination.

On the other hand, the control method of the air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention can be implemented as a processor-readable code on a processor-readable recording medium. 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 pertains 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.

10: outdoor unit
20: indoor unit
200d: wearable devices

Claims (20)

one or more outdoor units; and,
a plurality of indoor units connected to the outdoor unit through a refrigerant pipe and provided with a plurality of discharge ports;
The plurality of indoor units, respectively, based on body temperature data received from one or more wearable devices and a position of the wearable device, air conditioning, characterized in that the set target temperature and wind strength of each of the plurality of outlets energy. According to claim 1,
The plurality of indoor units is an air conditioner, characterized in that it is arranged in the same indoor space. 3. The method of claim 2,
A heating operation or a cooling operation is performed based on an average value of body temperature data received from a plurality of wearable devices located in the indoor space;
During the heating operation, the target temperature is set higher than the current temperature,
The air conditioner, characterized in that the target temperature is set lower than the current temperature during the cooling operation. 3. The method of claim 2,
The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the indoor space is divided into a plurality of zones based on the number, positions, and positions of the discharge ports of the arranged indoor units. 5. The method of claim 4,
The air conditioner, characterized in that the target temperature is set for each area. 5. The method of claim 4,
Air conditioner, characterized in that the wind strength is set according to the number of people in each area. According to claim 1,
The indoor unit receives a wireless signal from the wearable device, and determines the location of the wearable device based on the direction and strength of the wireless signal. According to claim 1,
The indoor unit and the wearable device wirelessly communicate with Wi-Fi through a Wi-Fi access point,
The indoor unit, based on the signal reception strength with the Wi-Fi access point, the air conditioner, characterized in that for determining the location of the wearable device. According to claim 1,
The plurality of indoor units generates a temperature map of an indoor space based on body temperature data received from a plurality of wearable devices. 10. The method of claim 9,
the plurality of wearable devices transmits the body temperature data to the nearest indoor unit among the plurality of indoor units;
The plurality of indoor units each generates a temperature map based on the received body temperature data. 11. The method of claim 10,
At least one of the plurality of indoor units merges the temperature map generated by the plurality of indoor units. 10. The method of claim 9,
Any one of the plurality of indoor units, when generating the temperature map, the air conditioner, characterized in that the temperature map is sequentially generated according to the distance from the nearest wearable device to the furthest wearable device. 13. The method of claim 12,
An air conditioner, characterized in that any one of the plurality of indoor units, a wearable device existing on a straight path to a certain wearable device is treated as an exception in temperature map generation. According to claim 1,
The air conditioner, characterized in that the search period is increased when there is no change in the arrangement state of the wearable device. An air conditioner control method comprising: at least one outdoor unit; and a plurality of indoor units connected to the outdoor unit through a refrigerant pipe and provided with a plurality of discharge ports,
determining a location of one or more wearable devices;
receiving body temperature data from the wearable device;
cooling operation when the average value of the body temperature data is higher than a reference temperature; and,
and operating a heating operation when the average value of the body temperature data is less than or equal to a reference temperature. 16. The method of claim 15,
The indoor unit, the control method of the air conditioner, characterized in that the determination of the location of the wearable device based on the strength of the received radio signal. 16. The method of claim 15,
The plurality of indoor units are disposed in the same indoor space,
dividing the indoor space into a plurality of zones based on the number, locations, and locations of discharge ports of the disposed indoor units; 18. The method of claim 17,
The control method of the air conditioner further comprising; setting a target temperature and wind strength according to the number of people in each area. 16. The method of claim 15,
and generating, by the plurality of indoor units, a temperature map based on body temperature data received from a plurality of wearable devices. 20. The method of claim 19,
the plurality of wearable devices transmits the body temperature data to the nearest indoor unit among the plurality of indoor units;
The control method of the air conditioner, characterized in that the plurality of indoor units generate a temperature map based on the received body temperature data, respectively.

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