KR20240019632A - Air conditioner and self-diagnosis system including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The aim is to provide an air conditioner that can add a self-diagnosis function through a software upgrade of home appliances and can self-diagnose the condition of the air conditioner at a time desired by the user, and a self-diagnosis system including the same. The self-diagnosis system includes an air conditioner that performs cooling operation for a certain period of time when the self-diagnosis function is selected from the user terminal, determines the status of the indoor and outdoor units through each sensor, and transmits the self-diagnosis results to the user terminal. do.

Description

Air conditioner and self-diagnosis system including the same {AIR CONDITIONER AND SELF-DIAGNOSIS SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME}

The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more specifically, to an air conditioner capable of self-diagnosing the condition of the air conditioner at a time desired by the user, and a self-diagnosis system including the same.

Home appliances, such as home appliances and electronic products, are placed and operate in various environments, and changes may occur in the structure or components of the product based on the time of product shipment. For example, after a product is shipped and sold, a request may arise to upgrade features or add additional functions.

However, in most cases, home appliances update their firmware after the product is sold to resolve product errors, etc., and in order to upgrade by adding new functions to meet the various needs of consumers after the product is shipped, you have to purchase a product with added functions again. Because it had to be done, it was not possible to provide additional functions of home appliances according to changes in consumers' lifestyles or technological developments.

In addition, in order to manage various home appliances connected to the Internet, there is a need for the development of technology that allows users to easily check functions that can be updated or upgraded, request an upgrade, and check the status or result of the upgrade through this.

Meanwhile, the air conditioner according to the prior art checks the abnormal state of the product during normal operation and displays the current abnormal state of the product when an abnormal condition occurs.

However, the air conditioner according to the prior art does not operate the product separately at the time the user wants smart diagnosis, but delivers the problem currently determined by the product to the customer, so if it is in the current driving state, the current state is delivered, but if it is not in the driving state, it delivers the current state to the customer. There is a problem with real-time monitoring meaning that the determined problems are difficult to convey to the customer based on the results determined in the previous driving state.

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an air conditioner that can self-diagnose the status of the air conditioner at a time desired by the user, and a self-diagnosis system including the same.

In addition, the aim is to provide an air conditioner that can add a self-diagnosis function through a software upgrade of the home appliance and a self-diagnosis system including the same.

In addition, the aim is to provide an air conditioner and a self-diagnosis system including the same that can improve user convenience by self-diagnosing the condition of the air conditioner at the user's desired time and guiding service reception according to the diagnosis results.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the objects mentioned above, and other objects and advantages of the present invention that are not mentioned can be understood by the following description and will be more clearly understood by the examples of the present invention. Additionally, it will be readily apparent that the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof indicated in the patent claims.

The self-diagnosis system according to one embodiment self-diagnoses the status of the air conditioner at a time desired by the user.

Specifically, when the self-diagnosis function is selected from the user terminal, cooling operation is performed for a certain period of time, the status of the indoor unit and outdoor unit is determined through each sensor, and the self-diagnosis result is transmitted to the user terminal.

Additionally, the self-diagnosis system according to one embodiment adds a self-diagnosis function through a software upgrade of the home appliance.

Specifically, the air conditioner is upgraded by downloading program data including the self-diagnosis function of the air conditioner from the server.

Additionally, the self-diagnosis system according to one embodiment improves user convenience by self-diagnosing the condition of the air conditioner and guiding service reception according to the diagnosis results.

Specifically, when an abnormality occurs in the self-diagnosis results of the air conditioner, the self-diagnosis results are transmitted to the customer center server through the user terminal, and service application is guided through the application on the user terminal.

The self-diagnosis system according to an embodiment performs cooling operation for a certain period of time when the self-diagnosis function is selected from the user terminal, determines the status of the indoor unit and outdoor unit through each sensor, and transmits the self-diagnosis result to the user terminal. Includes an air conditioner that

An air conditioner according to an embodiment includes a communication unit that downloads program data including a self-diagnosis function from a server and performs an upgrade, and, when the self-diagnosis function is selected, performs a self-diagnosis operation for a certain period of time and performs a self-diagnosis operation for a certain period of time, and the indoor unit and It includes a control unit that determines the status of the outdoor unit and transmits the self-diagnosis results to the user terminal through a communication unit.

As described above, the air conditioner and the self-diagnosis system including the same according to one embodiment can self-diagnose the status of the air conditioner at a time desired by the user.

Additionally, the air conditioner and the self-diagnosis system including the same according to one embodiment may add a self-diagnosis function through a software upgrade of the home appliance.

In addition, an air conditioner and a self-diagnosis system including the same according to an embodiment can improve user convenience by self-diagnosing the status of the air conditioner at a time desired by the user and guiding service reception according to the diagnosis result.

In addition, the air conditioner and the self-diagnosis system including the same according to one embodiment provide a function of simply operating the product for product diagnosis before the user actually uses the air conditioner in the summer, thereby providing the user with the concept of prior diagnosis and service. It is provided to people so that they can receive the service in advance, avoiding the service concentration period.

Additionally, an air conditioner and a self-diagnosis system including the same according to an embodiment can reduce the steps a user must go through in the process of receiving service from a service center by delivering the diagnosis results to a customer center.

In addition to the above-described effects, specific effects of the present invention are described below while explaining specific details for carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a system for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment.
Figure 2 is a diagram specifically illustrating the configuration of a system for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment.
Figure 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a management server for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment.
Figure 4 is an operation flowchart for explaining the operation of a management server according to an embodiment.
Figure 5 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of an upgradeable home appliance according to an embodiment.
Figure 6 is a flowchart of a method for upgrading home appliances according to one embodiment.
Figure 7 is a block diagram schematically showing a home appliance in which a plurality of devices are separately installed among upgradeable home appliances according to an embodiment.
Figure 8 is a diagram for explaining the overall operation of a method for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment.
9 and 10 are diagrams showing an upgrade process in a user terminal according to an embodiment.
Figure 11 is a flowchart for explaining an air conditioner and a self-diagnosis system including the same according to an embodiment.
12 to 15 illustrate screens displayed on a user terminal of a self-diagnosis system according to an embodiment.

The above-described purpose, means, and effects will be described in detail later with reference to the attached drawings, so that those skilled in the art will be able to easily implement the technical idea of the present invention. In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of known technologies related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the drawings, identical reference numerals are used to indicate identical or similar components.

Below, a system and method for upgrading home appliances according to some embodiments will be described. In addition, an air conditioner that can add a self-diagnosis function through a software upgrade of the home appliance and a self-diagnosis system including the same will be described.

In the specification, updating a home appliance may be defined as a process of updating software installed in the home appliance. Software may include firmware for the operation of a control unit or microcomputer of a home appliance and a content program running on the firmware. For example, the content program may be a program for setting the background screen of the display unit of the air conditioner, a program for setting the AI automatic drying function and the drying reservation function of the air conditioner, etc.

In the specification, an update of a home appliance may be defined as including a download and upgrade process. Here, downloading can be defined as the process of downloading software to be recorded on a home appliance. Upgrading can be defined as the process of writing downloaded software to the control unit or microcomputer of a home appliance.

In the specification, the upgrade progress or FOTA (Firmware Over The Air, FOTA) progress can be defined as the process of upgrading downloaded software to a home appliance, that is, the process of recording a program in the control unit or microcomputer of the home appliance.

In the specification, when a home appliance is in operation or when a product is in operation, it may be defined as an operating state in which the home appliance performs its own function. For example, an operating state in which a home appliance performs its own function may be a state in which it performs an air conditioning function of an air conditioner, an air cleaning function of an air purifier, a washing function of a washing machine, a drying function of a dryer, etc.

In the specification, the communication unit may perform functions such as sending and receiving data, storing downloaded software, setting a software upgrade schedule, and tracking upgrade reservation times.

In the specification, the control unit of the home appliance may be defined as a control unit that performs the unique functions of the home appliance. For example, the control unit may perform an air conditioning function of an air conditioner, an air cleaning function of an air purifier, a washing function of a washing machine, a drying function of a dryer, etc.

In the specification, the self-diagnosis mode or self-diagnosis operation of the air conditioner may be defined as a mode that checks the status of the indoor unit and outdoor unit through each sensor while operating at a preset operation mode and air volume at a time selected by the user. For example, the judgment standard value of the self-diagnosis mode may be set lower than the judgment standard value of normal driving.

Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an upgrade system for home appliances according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, a system according to an embodiment may include a management server 100 and a plurality of user devices 210, 220, 230, and 240.

The management server 100 may store information about home appliances to be upgraded and information about home appliances owned by each user.

Information about home appliances may include program data of the latest version of the home appliance. For example, the information about home appliances includes at least one of the following: identification information of the home appliance, program data for each previous version of the home appliance, and delta data derived based on a comparison result between program data for each of the previous versions and program data for the latest version. It may include more.

Here, program data is data related to the operation of the home appliance, and refers to data that can improve the function of the home appliance or add new functions to the home appliance. For example, if the home appliance is an air conditioner, the program data may be data that improves a program that adjusts any one or more of wind volume, wind direction, and indoor temperature, improves the image displayed through the display module, or creates a new program. It may be data for displaying an image, or it may be data related to voice guidance through a voice guidance module.

Information about home appliances held by each user may include user identification information and identification information of home appliances linked to the user identification information.

The management server 100 may determine whether and how to upgrade the home appliance, based on information about the home appliance. The specific method for this will be described later.

Additionally, the management server 100 may transmit data (hereinafter referred to as upgrade data) for upgrading the functions of each of the user devices 210, 220, 230, and 240. The upgrade data may include program data or delta data of the latest version of the home appliance.

Data transmitted by the management server 100 may also include a set of commands to be performed in each of the user devices 210, 220, 230, and 240. The management server 100 may determine the type or transmission time of upgrade data, etc., depending on whether or not to upgrade and the upgrade method described above.

Each of the plurality of user devices 210, 220, 230, and 240 may include at least one home appliance. Here, home appliances include various types of home appliances such as air conditioners, air purifiers, refrigerators, washing machines, clothes managers, and water purifiers, mobile devices such as smartphones, and various types of electronic devices included in automobiles (e.g., It may include various types of devices, such as devices provided for autonomous driving or devices for controlling the operation of a vehicle, etc.

Additionally, each of the plurality of user devices 210, 220, 230, and 240 may include at least one user terminal. Each of the at least one home appliance may update program data in response to a file (that is, a file including delta data or a command set) received from the management server 100.

Figure 2 is a diagram specifically illustrating the configuration of a system for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment.

Referring to Figure 2, the system according to one embodiment includes a management server 100, an access point 300, a plurality of home appliances (410, 420, 430, 440, 500, 600), and a user terminal (700). may include.

Each of the plurality of user devices 210, 220, 230, and 240 in FIG. 1 includes an access point 300, a plurality of home appliances 410, 420, 430, 440, 500, and 600, and a user terminal 700. It may include at least one of the following.

The functions of the management server 100 may be the same as those described in FIG. 1 .

The access point 300 may serve as a relay between the management server 100 and the home appliances 410, 420, 500, and 600. The access point 300 may be a Wi-Fi router.

Each of the plurality of home appliances (410, 420, 430, 440, 500, 600) may perform its own function according to the execution of the corresponding program.

The home appliances 410, 420, 430, and 440 may be home appliances in which a plurality of devices are installed separately and connected to each other for a predetermined function. For example, the 1-1 home appliance 410, the 1-2 home appliance 420, and the 1-3 home appliance 430 are air that controls any one of indoor temperature, humidity, and air quality. It is an indoor unit of an air conditioner, and the first to fourth home appliances 440 may be an outdoor unit of an air conditioner connected to the indoor units. Air quality may include the concentration of fine dust or chemicals that cause odors.

In addition, the 1-1 home appliance 410 and the 1-2 home appliance 420 may include a communication module (eg, Wi-Fi module) capable of connecting to the access point 300. In addition, the 1-1 home appliance 410, the 1-2 home appliance 420, the 1-3 home appliance 430, and the 1-4 home appliance 440 have a communication module capable of communicating with each other. may include.

Each of the 1-1 home appliance 410, the 1-2 home appliance 420, and the 1-3 home appliance 430 determines the temperature, humidity, and fine dust concentration of indoor air according to the execution of the corresponding program. At least one or more can be adjusted. The first-fourth home appliance 440 may control the operation of at least one of the compressor and the fan according to the execution of the corresponding program.

Each of the second home appliance 500 and the third home appliance 600 may be a home appliance that operates independently. For example, each of the second home appliance 500 and the third home appliance 600 may be one of various home appliances such as an air purifier, washing machine, clothes care machine, and refrigerator. Each of the second home appliance 500 and the third home appliance 600 may include a communication module (eg, Wi-Fi module).

The user terminal 700 may be a mobile terminal of a user who owns a plurality of home appliances (410, 420, 430, 440, 500, 600).

Depending on the embodiment, the access point 300 may be excluded. In this case, each of the home appliances 410, 420, 500, and 600 can access the management server 100 through an Internet network or the like. In this case, each of the home appliances 410, 420, 500, and 600 can be connected to the management server 100 by wire or wirelessly.

In addition, although not shown, the user device may further include a remote control capable of controlling each of the plurality of home appliances (410, 420, 430, 440, 500, and 600). The remote control can transmit and receive data with each home appliance it controls using short-range wireless communication. For example, the remote control can transmit and receive data with the home appliances it controls using Bluetooth. According to one embodiment, not only a plurality of home appliances (410, 420, 430, 440, 500, 600), but also remote controls or other devices connected to them can be upgraded.

For example, the user can use the user terminal 700 (e.g., a mobile terminal or tablet) to remotely control a home appliance (e.g., an air conditioner) installed in the home or check the operating status of the home appliance in real time. .

The user executes an application for managing home appliances installed on the user terminal 700, inputs a control command for the home appliance, or requests information related to the operating state of the home appliance. The user terminal 700 transmits a control command to the management server 100 or requests transmission of information about the home appliance according to the user's request.

Home appliances are equipped with displays that display information and communication devices with communication functions.

The management server 100 communicates with home appliances through a router installed in the home. The management server 100 transmits a control command input by the user to the home appliance through the router, or requests the home appliance to transmit information related to the operating state of the home appliance. Home appliances are controlled according to control commands input by the user, or information related to the operating state of the home appliance is transmitted to the management server 100 through the router.

The management server 100 transmits information related to the received operating state of the home appliance to the user terminal 700. Through this process, the user can remotely control the home appliance using the user terminal 700 or view information related to the operating state of the home appliance in real time.

The management server 100 communicates with home appliances through a router installed in the home. The management server 100 transmits a control command input by the user to the home appliance through the router, or requests the home appliance to transmit information related to the operating state of the home appliance. Home appliances are controlled according to control commands input by the user, or information related to the operating state of the home appliance is transmitted to the management server 100 through the router.

When a user requests to upgrade software or firmware installed on a home appliance through an application installed on the user terminal 700, the management server 100 transmits new software or firmware to the home appliance. The user can set elements and functions for upgrading the software or firmware of the home appliance through an application installed on the user terminal 700, or check the status of the software or firmware upgrade of the home appliance.

Additionally, the home appliance may periodically transmit information about software installed on the home appliance to the management server 100 through the router. In addition, home appliances can transmit software information about separate home appliances that are wired or wirelessly connected to the home appliance, for example, indoor units, outdoor units, remote controls, etc. The communication method between the home appliance and the management server 100 may be different from the communication method between the home appliance and a separate home appliance.

In addition, if the home appliance requires a software update for a separate home appliance connected to the home appliance by wire or wirelessly, the software received from the management server 100 is transmitted to the home appliance, or a plurality of separate home appliances are connected using a broadcasting method. Can be transmitted to home appliances.

Software information transmitted to the management server 100 may include user ID, model name, serial number, software version, software contents, user settings, product storage capacity information, etc.

The management server 100 may compare the software information of the home appliance transmitted through the user ID, model name, serial number, etc. from the transmitted software information with the software information registered in the home appliance management server 100.

The management server 100 selects one of general update or automatic update method for updating or updating the software of the home appliance according to the comparison result, or performs either general update or automatic update through the model name, serial number, etc. of the home appliance. You can choose a method.

For example, when the management server 100 selects the general update method, if the software installed on the home appliance needs to be renewed or updated, the management server 100 provides software update or update information to the user terminal 700 or the home appliance. can be transmitted.

When the user terminal 700 or the home appliance receives software update or update information from the electronic device management server, it may display the software update or update information on the display.

When there is a request for software renewal or update from the user, the management server 100 generates delta data containing only the difference between the software installed on the home appliance and the software to be updated, and transmits or updates it to the home appliance through the router along with a command. The entire software to be used can be transferred to the home appliance.

The home appliance may update or update its software based on the transmitted update software.

In addition, when the management server 100 selects the automatic update method, the management server 100 generates delta data containing only the difference between the software installed on the home appliance and the software to be updated, and updates the home appliance through the router along with a command. The entire software to be transferred or updated to the device can be transferred to the home appliance.

When the software to be updated is completely downloaded to the home appliance, the home appliance or user terminal 700 may display software update or update information on the display.

When there is a software update or update request from the home appliance or the user terminal 700, the home appliance may renew or update the software of the home appliance based on the transmitted update software.

The management server 100 selects the automatic update method, but if the storage capacity of the home appliance is insufficient or the automatic update fails, it can switch to the general update.

Figure 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a management server 100 for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 3, the management server 100 may include a control unit 110, a communication unit 810, and a storage unit 130.

The control unit 110 may transmit program data stored in the storage unit 130. At this time, the program data transmitted by the control unit 110 may be the latest version of program data. For example, the control unit 110 generates delta data for each home appliance based on the data stored in the storage unit 130, and sends delta data to the home appliance (410, 420, 500, and 600 in FIG. 2) through the communication unit 810. Data can also be transmitted.

When transmitting program data or delta data, the control unit 110 may also transmit a set of commands to be performed by the control unit of the home appliance (410, 420, 500, and 600 in FIG. 2).

The control unit 110 may determine whether and how to upgrade the home appliance, based on information about the home appliance.

The control unit 110 may include at least one processing unit or memory. Here, the processing unit may include, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a microprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. Can have multiple cores. The memory may be volatile memory (eg, RAM, etc.), non-volatile memory (eg, ROM, flash memory, etc.), or a combination thereof.

The communication unit 810 may transmit a signal to the outside according to the control of the control unit 110. Additionally, the communication unit 810 may receive a signal from the outside and output the received signal to the control unit 110. The communication unit 810 can transmit and receive signals wired or wirelessly. Communication unit 810 may include a modem, network interface card (NIC), integrated network interface, radio frequency transmitter/receiver, infrared port, USB connection, or other interface for communication with other computing devices.

The storage unit 130 can store data received through the communication unit 810 under the control of the control unit 110 and can store data processed by the control unit 110. For example, the storage unit 130 contains user identification information, identification information of the home appliance linked to the user identification information, program data for each version of the home appliance, and program data of each of the previous versions and program data of the latest version. At least one of the delta data derived according to the comparison result can be stored.

Figure 4 is an operation flowchart for explaining the operation of the management server 100 according to an embodiment.

Referring to Figure 4, first, the management server 100 may receive product information from the home appliance (step S11). The product information may include at least one of the user's identification information, the home appliance's identification information, and the current program version of the home appliance.

Next, the management server 100 may decide whether to upgrade or how to upgrade based on product information (step S12).

For example, the management server 100 may use the user's identification information to check the user's permissions or the service the user is using and determine whether to upgrade accordingly. Alternatively, the management server 100 may determine whether to upgrade based on the identification information of the home appliance. Alternatively, the management server 100 may determine whether to upgrade depending on whether the current program version of the home appliance is the latest version.

In addition, the management server 100 may determine an upgrade method based on at least one of the function to be upgraded, the capacity of the upgrade data, the format of the upgrade data, the expected transmission time of the upgrade data, and the identification information of the home appliance. For example, the management server 100 may determine an appropriate upgrade method depending on the function to be upgraded.

For example, the management server 100 may compare the capacity of the upgrade data with at least one reference capacity and determine an upgrade method based on the results. Alternatively, the management server 100 may determine the upgrade method depending on whether the upgrade data includes a command. Alternatively, the management server 100 may use the identification information of the home appliance to determine the type of home appliance or the connection state of the communication unit of the home appliance, and determine an upgrade method according to the results. Alternatively, the management server 100 may determine the transmission time required for the upgrade data to be transmitted based on the capacity of the upgrade data and the identification information of the home appliance, and determine the upgrade method according to the results.

According to one embodiment, the upgrade method is a general upgrade method in which all data including the program to perform the function to be upgraded is transmitted to the home appliance, and the home appliance is upgraded based on the entire transmitted data, and delta data is transmitted, It includes a delta upgrade method in which home appliances are upgraded based on transmitted delta data, and an automatic upgrade method in which upgrade data is transmitted to home appliances before the user accepts the upgrade, and the home appliance is then upgraded according to the user's acceptance of the upgrade. can do.

According to the general upgrade method and the delta upgrade method, the management server 100 may transmit upgrade data after receiving the user's acceptance of the upgrade. Additionally, according to the general upgrade method and the delta upgrade method, upgrade data may be transmitted to a home appliance (more specifically, a function module of the home appliance) while the original operation of the home appliance is stopped.

In this specification, the inherent operation of a home appliance means an operation for the home appliance to perform its original function. For example, in the case of an air conditioner, the operation of controlling a compressor or fan to perform cooling or heating may be a unique operation. In the case of a washing machine, the operation of controlling a motor or valve to wash laundry may be a unique operation. In the case of a refrigerator, the operation of controlling the compressor or fan to control or maintain the temperature inside the refrigerator may be a unique operation.

According to the automatic upgrade method, upgrade data can be transmitted to the home appliance (more specifically, the function module of the home appliance) regardless of whether the home appliance's original operation is stopped. That is, according to the automatic upgrade method, some or all of the upgrade data may be downloaded to the home appliance while the home appliance is performing its own operation. For example, the upgrade data may be downloaded to a storage unit within the communication unit of the home appliance.

If the capacity of the upgrade data is greater than or equal to the first standard capacity, the management server 100 may determine the upgrade method to be an automatic upgrade method. Alternatively, if the capacity of the upgrade data is less than the first reference capacity, the management server 100 may determine the upgrade method to be a delta upgrade method.

Alternatively, if the capacity of the upgrade data is less than the second reference capacity that is smaller than the first reference capacity, the management server 100 may determine the upgrade method to be a general upgrade method. The first reference capacity may be 1Mbyte. The second reference capacity may be 128 kbyte. This is because if the capacity of the upgrade data is greater than the first standard capacity, it takes a lot of time to transmit the data even if the delta upgrade method is used. Additionally, if the capacity of the upgrade data is less than the second standard capacity, it does not take much time to transmit the data even if the delta upgrade method is not used.

Alternatively, if the expected transmission time of the upgrade data is longer than or equal to the first reference time, the management server 100 may determine the upgrade method to be an automatic upgrade method. Alternatively, if the expected transmission time of the upgrade data is less than the first reference time, the management server 100 may determine the upgrade method to be a delta upgrade method. Alternatively, if the expected transmission time of the upgrade data is less than the second reference time, which is shorter than the first reference time, the management server 100 may determine the upgrade method to be a general upgrade method. The first reference time may be 20 minutes. The second reference dose may be 2 minutes.

Alternatively, the management server 100 may determine the upgrade method as a general upgrade method or a delta upgrade method if the traffic on the communication line of the home appliance or function module of the home appliance to be upgraded is more than the standard ratio to the capacity of the communication line. . Alternatively, the management server 100 may determine the upgrade method as an automatic upgrade method if the traffic on the communication line of the home appliance or function module of the home appliance to be upgraded is less than the standard ratio to the capacity of the communication line. This is because, when traffic on the communication line is normally high, it takes a lot of time to transmit upgrade data even if an automatic upgrade method is used.

Alternatively, if the upgrade data does not include a command, the management server 100 may determine the upgrade method to be an automatic upgrade method. The management server 100 may determine an upgrade method by complexly considering two or more of the various judgment criteria described above.

Next, the management server 100 may provide upgrade information to the home appliance or user terminal 700 and receive upgrade acceptance from the home appliance or user terminal 700 (step S13). Additionally, the management server 100 may transmit upgrade data to the home appliance (step S14).

The order of steps S13 and S14 may be changed. That is, as described above, when upgrading according to the general upgrade method or the delta upgrade method, the management server 100 may perform step S14 after performing step S13. Alternatively, when upgrading according to the automatic upgrade method, the management server 100 may perform step S14 and then step S13.

Thereafter, the management server 100 may request the home appliance to perform an upgrade operation.

Figure 5 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of an upgradeable home appliance 800 according to an embodiment.

Referring to Figure 5, the home appliance 800 may include a communication unit 810, a control unit 820, and a third storage unit 830. The communication unit 810 may include a storage unit 811, a transmission/reception unit 812, and a communication control unit, and the control unit 820 may include a processing unit 821, a first storage unit 822, and a second storage unit ( 823) may be included. Each of the home appliances 410, 420, 500, and 600 of FIG. 2 may include the configuration shown in FIG. 4. In addition, the home appliance according to one embodiment may not include some of the first storage unit 822, the second storage unit 823, and the third storage unit 830.

The communication unit 810 may receive data from the management server (100 in FIG. 1 or 2) and transmit the received data to the control unit 820. Data received from the management server (100 in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2) may include at least one of program data, the delta data described above, and commands performed by the control unit 820. Communication unit 810 may include a radio frequency transmitter/receiver, an infrared port, a USB connection, or other interface. For example, the communication unit 160 may include a short-range communication module that transmits and receives signals according to communication standards such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

The storage unit 811 may store data received from the management server (100 in FIG. 1 or 2). The storage unit 811 may be a non-volatile memory. For example, the storage unit 811 may be flash memory.

The transmitting and receiving unit 812 may transmit data stored in the storage unit 811 to the control unit 820.

The communication control unit can control the transmitting/receiving unit 812 and the storage unit 811. The communication control unit may correspond to a microcomputer for controlling communication. The communication control unit may operate based on firmware.

The communication control unit may store data received from the transmitting/receiving unit 812, particularly software data, in the storage unit 811. Additionally, the communication control unit may transmit software data stored in the storage unit 811 to the main control unit, for example, the processing unit 821, through a local bus.

The communication control unit can track the upgrade reservation time and provide triggering. When triggering occurs, the upgrade can be performed or the reservation time delayed depending on the operation status of the main control unit, and the reservation time can be synchronized with the server 100.

The control unit 820 stores a program for implementing the function of the home appliance, and executes the stored program to perform a predetermined function, thereby controlling the home appliance to perform a specific function. Additionally, the control unit 820 may update the stored program based on data received from the communication unit 810.

The processing unit 821 may include a central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), microprocessor, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), etc., and may include a plurality of You can have a core.

The first storage unit 822 may be a non-volatile memory. For example, the first storage unit 822 may be flash memory. The first storage unit 822 can store the program.

The second storage unit 823 may be a volatile memory. For example, the second storage unit 823 may be RAM. The second storage unit 823 can load some of the program data stored in the first storage unit 822, and the program data stored in the second storage unit 823 can be stored in a specific area of the first storage unit 822. It can be lighted.

The third storage unit 830 may be a non-volatile memory. The third storage unit may be one of flash memory, magnetic storage, and optical storage. Programs for performing the functions of home appliances may be stored in the third storage unit 830.

Figure 6 is a flowchart diagram of a method for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment.

Referring to Figure 6, the home appliance 800 and the management server 100 perform a preliminary process to upgrade the home appliance program with a new function (S21).

The home appliance 800 and the management server 100 may be connected to enable mutual communication, and upgrade-related information may be stored in the storage unit 130 of the management server 100, including upgrade cycle, upgrade reservation, etc. An upgrade schedule can be set. Additionally, the upgrade schedule may include a notification schedule to notify users so that they are aware of the upgrade.

Additionally, a program file or data file (upgrade file) for upgrading the home appliance 800 is registered in the management server 100. When the administrator uploads an upgrade file to the management server 100, the upgrade file is stored in the storage unit 130. If the upgrade file is a data file, the administrator can set whether or not to enable automatic downloading, which will be described later, when uploading to the management server 100.

In addition, the management server 100 and the home appliance 800 communicate with each other to determine the version of the program or data installed on the home appliance 800 and the version of the upgrade file (program file or data file) registered in the management server 100. Depending on the difference, the management server or the home appliance 800 may recognize that an upgrade of the home appliance 800 is necessary.

The upgrade file registered in the management server 100 can upgrade only one target of a plurality of home appliances (410, 420, 430, 440, 500, 600), or a plurality of home appliances (410, 420, 430, 440). , 500, 600), for example, all of the 1-1 home appliance 410, the 1-2 home appliance 420, and the 1-3 home appliance 430, which are indoor units of an air conditioner. You can upgrade. Therefore, the home appliance 800 to be upgraded hereinafter refers to one or more home appliances 800 to which an upgrade file can be applied among a plurality of home appliances 410, 420, 430, 440, 500, and 600.

As a final preliminary process, the management server 100 confirms the user's consent to download the program file and upgrade the home appliance 800. The management server 100 confirms whether the user agrees to upgrading the program through the user terminal 700 or the home appliance 800. If the user's consent to the upgrade of the program is not entered into the user terminal 700 or the home appliance 800, the steps described later are not executed.

When the user's consent to upgrade the program is entered, the management server 100 and the home appliance 800 start downloading the program file among the upgrade files (S22). The control unit 110 of the management server 100 transmits the program file stored in the storage unit 130 through the communication unit 810.

The communication unit 810 of the home appliance 800 receives a program file, and the first storage unit 822, the second storage unit 823, or the third storage unit 830 of the home appliance 800 receives the program. You can save files. Hereinafter, the storage units 822, 823, and 830 in which program files are stored refer to the first storage unit 822, the second storage unit 823, or the third storage unit 830.

When the home appliance device 800 completes receiving the program file, it notifies the management server 100 that the download has been completed. The control unit 820 of the home appliance 800 checks the checksum of the program file stored in the storage units 822, 823, and 830 to confirm that the download is complete and sends a download completion message to the management server 100 through the communication unit 810. send.

When the program file download is complete, the home appliance 800 performs a program upgrade (S23). The control unit 820 of the home appliance 800 installs the program files stored in the storage units 822, 823, and 830 to upgrade the programs stored in the storage units (822, 823, and 830). The control unit 820 of the home appliance 800 changes the version of the program to the version of the installed program file, stores it in the storage units 822, 823, and 830, and sends the program to the management server 100 through the communication unit 810. Device information including version information can be transmitted.

The control unit 820 of the home appliance 800 implements new functions added by program upgrades and provides information about new functions added to the management server 100 through the communication unit 810. The management server 100 provides information about new functions added to the user terminal 700.

The user terminal 700 receives the user's settings for the added function (S24). The user terminal 700 displays a new function added to the home appliance 800 from the management server 100 and provides a settings screen for the function. The user sets up a new function through the user terminal 700. For example, if a function is added so that the voice guidance voice of the home appliance 800 can be selected from only female to female and male, the user can set the voice guidance voice to male. A detailed description of this will be provided later with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. The user terminal 700 transmits the user's settings for the function to the management server 100.

The management server 100 and the home appliance 800 start downloading the data file corresponding to the user's settings among the upgrade files (S25). In the above example, when the user sets the voice guidance voice to male, the control unit 110 of the management server 100 stores the data file corresponding to the male voice among the data files in the storage unit 130 through the communication unit 810. Send. The communication unit 810 of the home appliance 800 receives the data file selected according to the user's settings, and the first storage unit 822, the second storage unit 823, or the third storage unit ( 830) may store the received data file.

When the home appliance device 800 completes receiving the data file, it notifies the management server 100 that the download has been completed. The control unit 820 of the home appliance 800 checks the checksum of the data file stored in the storage units 822, 823, and 830 to confirm that the download is complete and sends a download completion message to the management server 100 through the communication unit 810. send. When the data file download is completed, the management server 100 confirms the user's consent to the data upgrade of the home appliance 800 by the downloaded data file.

The management server 100 confirms whether the user agrees to upgrading data through the user terminal 700 or the home appliance 800. Depending on the embodiment, data upgrade, which will be described later, may be automatically performed on the user terminal 700 or the home appliance 800 without receiving the user's consent to the data upgrade.

The home appliance 800 performs a data upgrade (S26). The control unit 820 of the home appliance 800 installs the data files stored in the storage units 822, 823, and 830 to upgrade the data stored in the storage units 822, 823, and 830. The control unit 820 of the home appliance 800 can be installed by changing only the memory addresses of the data files stored in the storage units 822, 823, and 830. The control unit 820 of the home appliance 800 preserves data unrelated to the user's settings and adds data selected according to the user's settings, or deletes data unrelated to the user's settings and stores only the data selected according to the user's settings. Can be installed.

The control unit 820 of the home appliance 800 changes the version of the data to the version of the installed data file, stores it in the storage units 822, 823, and 830, and sends the data to the management server 100 through the communication unit 810. Device information including version information can be transmitted.

In the above-described process, the download (S22) and upgrade (S23) process for program files that add new functions, and the download (S25) and upgrade (S26) process of data files selected according to the user's settings for added functions. The order in which user consent is entered is different.

In the case of program files, the user's consent to the program upgrade is first entered, and when the user's consent is entered, the program file is downloaded (S22) and upgraded (S23).

In the case of a data file, after downloading the data file for data upgrade (S25), the user's consent to the data upgrade is entered. If the user's consent is entered, the data file is upgraded (S26).

Depending on the embodiment or setting, if the data file selected according to the user's settings is data that did not exist before according to a newly added function, the data file may be downloaded (S25) and upgraded (S26) without the user's consent.

Figure 7 is a block diagram schematically showing a home appliance in which a plurality of devices are separately installed among upgradeable home appliances according to an embodiment.

Referring to Figure 7, the 1-1 home appliance 410, the 1-2 home appliance 420, and the 1-3 home appliance 430 are indoor units of the air conditioner, and the 1-4 home appliance 440 may be an outdoor unit of an air conditioner. In addition, the 1-1 home appliance 410 and the 1-2 home appliance 420 may be connected to the management server 100 through the access point 300 or an Internet network.

The 1-1 home appliance 410 may include a first communication unit 411, a main control unit 412, and a second communication unit 413. Depending on the embodiment, the 1-1 home appliance 410 may further include at least one of a display module 414, a voice guidance module 415, and a sensor unit 416.

The first communication unit 411 can receive data from the management server 100 and transmit the received data to the main control unit 412. The first communication unit 411 may have the same configuration as the communication unit 810 of FIG. 5 and may perform the same function.

The main control unit 412 can receive data from the first communication unit 411 and transmit the received data to the second communication unit 413. If the data received from the first communication unit 411 is data used in the display module 414 or the voice guidance module 415, the main control unit 412 sends the data to the display module 414 or the voice guidance module 415. You can also send it to . The main control unit 412 may have the same configuration as the control unit 820 of FIG. 5 and may perform the same function.

The second communication unit 413 may transmit and receive data with at least one of the 1-2 home appliance 420, the 1-3 home appliance 430, and the 1-4 home appliance 440.

For example, the second communication unit 413 may transmit and receive data through asynchronous serial communication. The second communication unit 413 can implement hardware of home appliances more simply by using an asynchronous serial communication method. Additionally, the second communication unit 413 can transmit and receive data at a rate of 4800bps to 4Mbps. Preferably, the second communication unit 413 is capable of transmitting and receiving data at a rate of 9600bps.

The home appliance 410 may be an indoor unit of an air conditioner, and the first to fourth home appliances 440 may be an outdoor unit of an air conditioner.

Considering the distance between the indoor unit of the air conditioner and the outdoor unit of the air conditioner and the surrounding environment in a general installation environment, communication reliability can be secured by having a communication speed, and transmission speed can also be fastened. For example, the second communication unit 413 may include a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) and may transmit and receive data using RS485 communication. The second communication unit 413 may include a storage unit capable of storing data.

The display module 414 can visually display various information for user convenience. For example, the display module 414 may display at least one of information related to the operation of home appliances, information related to the status of home appliances, and other life information.

The display module 414 may operate under the control of the main control unit 412 or may include a separate display control unit. Predetermined data may be transmitted from the management server to drive the display module 414. The display module 414 may receive the data through the main control unit 412.

The voice guidance module 415 can express various information through sound for the user's convenience. Similar to the display module 414, the voice guidance module 415 may also display at least one of information related to the operation of home appliances, information related to the status of home appliances, and other life information through sound.

The voice guidance module 415 may operate under the control of the main control unit 412 or may include a separate voice control unit. Predetermined data may be transmitted from the management server to drive the voice guidance module 415. The voice guidance module 415 can receive the data through the main control unit 412.

The sensor unit 416 may obtain information related to the operation of the home appliance. For example, when the home appliance is an air conditioner, the sensor unit 416 can detect at least one of the indoor temperature, the temperature of the discharge air discharged from the air conditioner, the indoor humidity, and the temperature or pressure of the circulating refrigerant. You can. When the home appliance is an air purifier, the sensor unit 416 may detect at least one of indoor temperature, humidity, and air quality. The sensor unit 416 may include at least one sensor.

The 1-2 home appliance 420 may have substantially the same configuration as the 1-1 home appliance 410. That is, the first communication unit 421, the main control unit 422, the second communication unit 423, the display module 424, the voice guidance module 425, and the sensor unit 426 each include the first communication unit 411, It may be substantially the same as each of the main control unit 412, the second communication unit 413, the display module 414, the voice guidance module 415, and the sensor unit 416.

The 1-3 home appliance 430 may be substantially the same as the 1-1 home appliance, except that it does not include a first communication unit. That is, the main control unit 432, the second communication unit 433, the display module 434, the voice guidance module 435, and the sensor unit 436 are each connected to the main control unit 412, the second communication unit 413, and the display module. It may be substantially the same as each of 414, voice guidance module 415, and sensor unit 416.

Each of the main control unit 442 and the second communication unit 443 of the 1-4 home appliance 440 is substantially connected to each of the main control unit 412 and the second communication unit 413 of the 1-1 home appliance 410. may be the same. The first-fourth home appliance 440 may be an outdoor unit of an air conditioner. In this case, the first to fourth home appliances 440 may further include a compressor 444 and a fan 445.

The main control unit 442 may control the compressor 444 or the fan 445 using a program included in the data received from the 1-1 home appliance 410. The first-fourth home appliance 440 may also include a sensor unit 446 that acquires information related to the operation of the home appliance. When the first-fourth home appliance 440 is an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, the sensor unit 446 may sense at least one of the pressure or temperature of the refrigerant, outdoor temperature, and outdoor humidity. The sensor unit 446 may include at least one sensor.

Figure 8 is a diagram for explaining the overall operation of a method for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment.

Referring to Figure 8, the method for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment may be applied when upgrading according to the general upgrade method or delta upgrade method described above.

First, the communication unit 810 may request information (product information) about the home appliance from the control unit 820 (step S101).

Product information may be identification information of a home appliance. Identification information of the home appliance may include one or more of the serial number and model name of the home appliance. In step S101, the management server 100 may request information about the home appliance from the communication unit 810, and in response, the communication unit 810 may request information about the home appliance from the control unit 820.

Next, in response to the product information request, the control unit 820 may return information about the home appliance (for example, identification information of the home appliance) to the communication unit 810 (step S102).

Next, the communication unit 810 may request information about whether the home appliance has upgrade details from the management server 100 (step S103). At this time, the communication unit 810 may transmit information about the home appliance (identification information of the home appliance) to the management server 100.

Additionally, the communication unit 810 may additionally transmit user information to the management server 100. The communication unit 810 can transmit and receive data with the management server 100 through a repeater. The repeater may be the access point of FIG. 2.

Next, the management server 100 may return upgrade information to the communication unit 810 (step S104).

The upgrade information may include at least one of information about whether there is upgrade history for the home appliance identified based on the information about the home appliance and information about the item or content to be upgraded.

The management server 100 may determine whether to upgrade the home appliance. Additionally, the management server 100 may determine an upgrade method. For example, the management server 100 may determine what items need to be upgraded and determine an upgrade method accordingly. Upgrade methods may include full upgrade, differential upgrade, and background upgrade.

Additionally, the management server 100 may provide the upgrade information to the user terminal 700 (step S105). The management server 100 may search for information about the user of the home appliance using information stored in the storage unit (130 in FIG. 3) and may receive user information from the communication unit 810.

Next, when the user accepts the upgrade using the user terminal 700, information about the upgrade acceptance may be transmitted from the user terminal 700 to the management server 100 (step S106).

Instead of accepting the upgrade using the user terminal 700, the user may accept the upgrade using the input/output device of the home appliance.

In response to the user's acceptance of the upgrade, the management server 100 may request the communication unit 810 to start the upgrade (step S107). At this stage, the management server 100 may determine an upgrade method. The decision on the upgrade method can be easily understood by referring to the explanation of step S104.

The communication unit 810 may request file transfer in response to the upgrade start request from the management server 100 (step S108).

The management server 100 may transmit a file containing data for upgrading a home appliance to the communication unit 810 in response to a file transmission request from the communication unit 810 (step S109). Data for upgrade may include at least one of the latest version of program data, delta data, and/or instruction set.

The communication unit 810 and the control unit 820 may update the program of the home appliance using the file received from the management server 100 (step S110).

When the upgrade is completed, the communication unit 810 may reply that the upgrade is complete to the management server 100 (step S111).

The management server 100 may provide information related to the completion of the upgrade to the user terminal in response to the upgrade completion reply received from the communication unit 810 (step S112).

9 and 10 are diagrams showing an upgrade process in a user terminal according to an embodiment.

Figure 9 (a) is an example diagram in which the user terminal 700 displays a pop-up indicating that an upgrade for the home appliance 800 is ready. Figure 9 (b) is an example diagram in which the user terminal 700 displays information about the upgrade of the home appliance 800. Figure 9 (c) is an example diagram showing a screen where the user terminal 700 inputs consent to the upgrade of the home appliance 800. Figure 10 is an example diagram showing that the user terminal 700 is upgrading the home appliance 800 in progress. In addition, Figure 10 is an example diagram in which the user terminal 700 indicates that the upgrade of the home appliance 800 is complete.

Referring to (a) of FIG. 9, the user terminal 700 may display a pop-up 711 notifying that an upgrade is possible for at least one home appliance 800 in the home. The management server 100 transmits upgrade information including an upgrade possibility notification and the type and description of the function implemented by the upgrade to the user terminal 700 (S11, S105). When upgrade information is received, the user terminal 700 may display a pop-up 711 through an application (eg, LG ThinQ application).

Referring to (b) of FIG. 9, the user terminal 700 may display the type and description of the function implemented by the upgrade among the upgrade information on the application screen. The application may display a screen 721 for selecting the type, description, and function of the upgrade function of the home appliance 800 and a button 722 for requesting an upgrade of the selected function.

Referring to (c) of Figure 9, the user terminal 700 displays a pop-up 731 inquiring whether to upgrade at least one function of the home appliance 800 and a button 732 for entering upgrade consent on the application screen. can do. When the user selects the upgrade consent button (732), the program file is downloaded (S12, S109).

Referring to Figure 10, the user terminal 700 displays a screen 741 on the application screen indicating that the home appliance 800 is being upgraded. When the screen 741 indicating that the home appliance 800 is being upgraded is displayed, download is performed (S12, S109) or upgrade is performed (S13, S110).

Referring to Figure 10, the user terminal 700 includes a screen 751 on the application screen indicating that the home appliance 800 has been upgraded, a button 752 for viewing and setting new functions added through the upgrade, and , a button 753 to omit this and complete is displayed (S112).

On the other hand, when the air conditioner performs an operation such as cooling or dehumidifying and ends the operation, the cold temperature of the heat exchanger pipe and the relatively warm temperature of the room meet to generate condensate, and this condensate is naturally dried. Bacteria generated during the process cause odor.

Since the user cannot manage this individually, an automatic drying function is provided to dry the condensate by blowing air for a certain period of time at the end of operation. However, because it does not provide an appropriate time for blowing operation, the set time may be insufficient or too long.

Therefore, the air conditioner was designed to determine how much drying operation should be performed and to proceed with drying operation only for the necessary time.

Most customers know that drying time is necessary to prevent heat exchanger odor caused by using air conditioners, but it is difficult to determine how much drying should be done and whether the currently set drying time is appropriate. In addition, drying for an unnecessarily long time can be viewed by customers as consuming unnecessary electricity, so technology is needed to determine the appropriate drying time and provide it to the customer.

Figure 11 is a flowchart for explaining an air conditioner and a self-diagnosis system including the same according to an embodiment. 12 to 15 illustrate screens displayed on a user terminal of a self-diagnosis system according to an embodiment.

1 to 15, the home appliance 800 may be exemplified as an air conditioner, and the air conditioner may download a program including an AI automatic drying function from the server 100. The home appliance 800 can be upgraded with a downloaded program.

For example, the user can select a home appliance for program upgrade through an application installed on the user terminal 700, and the application may generate a download pop-up if there is a program with new functions added for the home appliance.

Users can select downloads through the application's pop-up, and the application can provide an upgrade reservation pop-up.

Users can select an upgrade method in the reservation pop-up. For example, users can choose to automatically upgrade after downloading. Alternatively, users can choose to specify an upgrade start time.

At this time, the application may provide a dialog for selecting a time, and the user may select the time through this. Alternatively, users can choose to be notified when the download is complete.

The application of the user terminal 700 may provide the user-selected upgrade method to the management server 100.

The management server 100 may transmit the upgrade method selected by the user to the communication unit 810 of the home appliance 800. The communication unit 810 can perform functions such as sending and receiving data, storing downloaded programs, setting program upgrade schedules, and tracking upgrade reservation times.

The communication unit 810 of the home appliance 800 can update and set the download schedule and trigger a schedule alarm.

The communication unit 810 of the home appliance 800 may provide the set reservation porta information to the management server 100. For example, the reservation porta information may include updated reservation information for program upgrade between the home appliance 800 and the management server 100.

In addition, when an upgrade trigger occurs in the home appliance 800 at the user's request, the communication unit 810 of the home appliance 800 communicates with the processing unit 821 to determine the state of the home appliance 800.

The communication unit 810 may proceed with the upgrade when the state of the home appliance 800 is in an upgradeable state, and if the state of the home appliance 800 is not in an upgradeable state, the upgrade time may be postponed.

When an upgrade is in progress, the communication unit 810 may notify the user terminal 700 that the upgrade is in progress, and when the upgrade is postponed, the communication unit 810 may notify the user terminal 700 that the upgrade is postponed.

The communication unit 810 can determine the status of the home appliance based on whether there is something wrong with the home appliance, whether the home appliance is operating, etc., and if there is no problem with the home appliance and it is not in operation, the upgrade can be performed with a downloaded program.

The communication unit 810 can automatically postpone the upgrade if there is a problem or is in operation, and can request the user to turn on the home appliance when the home appliance is turned off.

Additionally, if there is an upgrade reservation setting, the communication unit 810 of the home appliance 800 may trigger the upgrade according to the set reservation schedule. The communication unit 810 may determine the state of the home appliance when an upgrade trigger occurs.

For example, when determining the status of a home appliance, the communication unit 810 can determine whether the program download has been completed, determine whether there is an error in the home appliance, and determine whether the home appliance is in operation. .

The communication unit 810 can proceed with the upgrade if the download is complete, there are no product errors, and the product is not in operation. The communication unit 810 may postpone the upgrade if the download is not completed, if there is a product error, or if the product is in operation.

For example, when postponing an upgrade, the communication unit 810 may delay the upgrade time for a preset period of time and provide the changed reservation schedule to the management server 100 to synchronize mutual reservation schedules.

Then, the communication unit 810 generates an upgrade trigger at the changed reservation time, performs an operation to determine the state of the home appliance again, and can proceed or postpone the upgrade depending on the state of the home appliance.

In this embodiment, before using the air conditioner for cooling operation in the summer, the user operates the air conditioner for the purpose of diagnosing the condition of the air conditioner in order to make a preliminary diagnosis and receive appropriate service. The air conditioner determines the problem on its own and notifies the customer. This explains the self-diagnosis function.

The self-diagnosis function operates the air conditioner for a certain period of time for the purpose of diagnosing the air conditioner. For example, during cooling operation, it diagnoses the condition of the air conditioner, such as the amount of refrigerant, whether the sensor is normal, and whether the fan is operating normally. When a problem is found, the main unit display and We aim to deliver information through a smartphone application so that people can receive appropriate services in advance.

The self-diagnosis system according to an embodiment performs cooling operation for a certain period of time when the self-diagnosis function is selected from the user terminal, determines the status of the indoor unit and outdoor unit through each sensor, and transmits the self-diagnosis result to the user terminal. Includes an air conditioner that

The air conditioner is upgraded by downloading program data including a self-diagnosis function from the server.

An application for self-diagnosis of the air conditioner is installed on the user terminal.

The application includes content for upgrading the self-diagnosis function, activating the self-diagnosis function, and reporting self-diagnosis results.

When an error occurs in the self-diagnosis results, the air conditioner transmits the self-diagnosis results to the customer center server through the user terminal and guides service reception through the application.

The air conditioner according to one embodiment includes a communication unit 120 that downloads program data including a self-diagnosis function from the server 100 and performs an upgrade, and when the self-diagnosis function is selected, the air conditioner performs cooling operation for a certain period of time and each sensor It includes a control unit 110 that determines the status of the indoor and outdoor units through the device and transmits the self-diagnosis results to the user terminal.

When entering the self-diagnosis function, the control unit 110 operates in a cooling mode and strong wind for self-diagnosis.

The control unit 110 includes logic for diagnosing at least one of the amount of refrigerant, whether the sensor is normal, whether the fan is operating normally, motor, compressor, inverter, voltage, current, temperature, and communication. At this time, the judgment standard value of the self-diagnosis function may be set lower than the judgment standard value of general driving.

Self-diagnosis logic determines product problems by operating the product at the time the customer wants diagnosis. In particular, it can be used as a function in the same sense as prior inspection in that it makes multiple judgments and immediately determines detected abnormalities during normal operation. You can.

The communication unit 120 upgrades the automatic drying function according to the operating state of the control unit 110 when an upgrade trigger occurs.

The communication unit 120 generates an upgrade trigger according to a request from the user terminal or a preset reservation schedule.

The communication unit 120 performs the upgrade after the end of the operation when the control unit 110 is in an operating state controlling the unique functions of the air conditioner when an upgrade trigger occurs at the request of the user terminal.

When an upgrade trigger occurs according to the reservation schedule, the communication unit 120 delays the upgrade reservation time by a preset time when the control unit 110 is in an operating state to control the unique functions of the air conditioner and communicates with the server 10 about the reservation time. Synchronize.

For example, the self-diagnosis function of an air conditioner is an application installed on the user terminal and operates when the customer selects the function.

When the self-diagnosis function is entered, the indoor and outdoor units of the product operate with the self-diagnosis function.

When the self-diagnosis function is entered, the product operates in cooling mode and high wind speed for a certain period of time. For example, the schedule time may be set to 18 ± 1 minute.

During the self-diagnosis function, the product's status is determined through sensors within the product. For example, logic such as temperature sensor, motor, compressor, inverter, voltage, current, temperature, communication, etc., especially refrigerant shortage diagnosis, lowers the judgment standard and adjusts to make a sensitive judgment during self-diagnosis function operation.

The results of the self-diagnosis are reported as normal or abnormal through the application, and when an abnormality occurs, the diagnostic results are transmitted to the customer center server and guidance is provided to request service.

In this way, the air conditioner according to the embodiment and the self-diagnosis system including the same can self-diagnose the status of the air conditioner at a time desired by the user.

Additionally, self-diagnosis functions can be added through software upgrades to home appliances.

In addition, user convenience can be improved by self-diagnosing the condition of the air conditioner at the user's desired time and guiding service reception based on the diagnosis results.

In addition, it provides a function to simply operate the air conditioner for product diagnosis before the user actually uses the air conditioner in the summer, providing users with the concept of pre-diagnosis and service, allowing them to receive service in advance while avoiding the service intensive period.

Additionally, the diagnosis results can be delivered to the customer center, reducing the number of steps the user must go through in the process of receiving service from the service center.

As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the illustrative drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and drawings disclosed herein, and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. It is obvious that transformation can occur. In addition, although the operational effects according to the configuration of the present invention were not explicitly described and explained while explaining the embodiments of the present invention above, it is natural that the predictable effects due to the configuration should also be recognized.

100: management server 110: control unit
120: communication unit 130: storage unit
300: Access point 700: User terminal
410, 420, 430, 440, 500, 600, 800: Home appliances
810: Communication unit 811: Storage unit
812: Transmitter and receiver 820: Control unit
821: processing unit 822: first storage unit
823: second storage unit 840: third storage unit

Claims (20)

user terminal; and
A self-diagnosis system including an air conditioner that performs cooling operation for a certain period of time when the self-diagnosis function is selected from the user terminal, determines the status of the indoor unit and outdoor unit through each sensor, and transmits the self-diagnosis result to the user terminal. . According to claim 1,
The air conditioner is a self-diagnosis system that is upgraded by downloading program data including a self-diagnosis function from a server. According to claim 1,
A self-diagnosis system in which an application for self-diagnosis of the air conditioner is installed on the user terminal. According to claim 3,
The application is a self-diagnosis system that includes content for upgrading the self-diagnosis function, activating the self-diagnosis function, and reporting the self-diagnosis results. According to claim 4,
The air conditioner is a self-diagnosis system that transmits the self-diagnosis result to a customer center server through the user terminal when an abnormality occurs in the self-diagnosis result and guides service reception through the application. According to claim 1,
The air conditioner,
a communication unit that downloads program data including the self-diagnosis function from the server and performs an upgrade; and
When the self-diagnosis function is selected, a self-diagnosis system comprising a control unit that performs a cooling operation for a certain period of time, determines the status of the indoor and outdoor units through each sensor, and transmits the self-diagnosis result to the user terminal. According to claim 6,
A self-diagnosis system where the control unit operates in a cooling mode and strong wind for self-diagnosis when entering the self-diagnosis function. According to claim 6,
The control unit is a self-diagnosis system including logic for diagnosing at least one of the amount of refrigerant, whether the sensor is normal, whether the fan is operating normally, a motor, a compressor, an inverter, voltage, current, temperature, and communication. According to claim 8,
A self-diagnosis system in which the judgment standard for the self-diagnosis function is set lower than the judgment standard for general driving. According to claim 6,
A self-diagnosis system in which the communication unit upgrades the self-diagnosis function according to the operating state of the control unit when an upgrade trigger occurs. According to claim 10,
A self-diagnosis system in which the communication unit generates the upgrade trigger according to a request from a user terminal or a preset reservation schedule. According to claim 11,
A self-diagnosis system in which the communication unit performs an upgrade after the end of operation when the control unit is in an operating state controlling a unique function of the air conditioner when the upgrade trigger occurs at the request of the user terminal. According to claim 10,
When the upgrade trigger occurs according to the reservation schedule, the communication unit delays the upgrade reservation time by a preset time when the control unit is in an operating state to control the unique function of the air conditioner and synchronizes with the server for the reservation time. Self-diagnosis system. a communication department that downloads program data including a self-diagnosis function from a server and performs an upgrade; and
When the self-diagnosis function is selected, an air conditioner including a control unit that performs self-diagnosis operation for a certain period of time, determines the status of the indoor unit and outdoor unit through each sensor, and transmits the self-diagnosis result to the user terminal through the communication unit. energy. According to claim 14,
The control unit controls the self-diagnosis result to be displayed through the main body of the air conditioner or an application of the user terminal. According to claim 14,
The control unit transmits the self-diagnosis result to a customer center server through the user terminal when an abnormality occurs and controls the air conditioner to guide service reception through the application. According to claim 14,
The control unit is an air conditioner that operates in a cooling mode and strong wind for self-diagnosis when the self-diagnosis function is entered. According to claim 14,
The control unit is an air conditioner including logic for diagnosing at least one of the amount of refrigerant, whether the sensor is normal, whether the fan is operating normally, a motor, a compressor, an inverter, voltage, current, temperature, and communication. According to claim 18,
An air conditioner in which the judgment standard value of the self-diagnosis function is set lower than the judgment standard value of normal operation. According to claim 14,
The control unit is an air conditioner that activates the self-diagnosis function at a time reserved by the user through the user terminal.

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