WO2011034302A2 - Air conditioner and method for controlling the same - Google Patents

Air conditioner and method for controlling the same Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2011034302A2
WO2011034302A2 PCT/KR2010/005935 KR2010005935W WO2011034302A2 WO 2011034302 A2 WO2011034302 A2 WO 2011034302A2 KR 2010005935 W KR2010005935 W KR 2010005935W WO 2011034302 A2 WO2011034302 A2 WO 2011034302A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
repeater
indoor unit
unit
air conditioner
ultrasonic generator
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/KR2010/005935
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2011034302A3 (en
Inventor
Dong Won Lee
Sung Kwan Park
Jae Hong Kim
Ill Uk Kim
Kwa Jin Park
Jeong Young Kim
Original Assignee
Lg Electronics Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Lg Electronics Inc. filed Critical Lg Electronics Inc.
Publication of WO2011034302A2 publication Critical patent/WO2011034302A2/en
Publication of WO2011034302A3 publication Critical patent/WO2011034302A3/en

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
    • F24F1/0007—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units
    • F24F1/0035—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units characterised by introduction of outside air to the room
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
    • F24F1/0007—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01M—CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS; APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS
    • A01M29/00—Scaring or repelling devices, e.g. bird-scaring apparatus
    • A01M29/16—Scaring or repelling devices, e.g. bird-scaring apparatus using sound waves
    • A01M29/18—Scaring or repelling devices, e.g. bird-scaring apparatus using sound waves using ultrasonic signals
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F11/00—Control or safety arrangements
    • F24F11/50—Control or safety arrangements characterised by user interfaces or communication
    • F24F11/56—Remote control
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2110/00—Control inputs relating to air properties
    • F24F2110/10—Temperature
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2110/00—Control inputs relating to air properties
    • F24F2110/20—Humidity
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2120/00—Control inputs relating to users or occupants
    • F24F2120/10—Occupancy

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to air conditioners, and more particularly to an air conditioner having an ultrasonic generator for eradicating mosquitoes and a method for controlling the air conditioner having the ultrasonic generator, efficiently.
  • the air conditioner is a device for air conditioning room air, including all machines for cooling, heating, humidifying, dehumidifying and cleaning the room air.
  • the air conditioner is a machine for cooling or heating a room with a refrigerating cycle of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator.
  • the air conditioners there are a separate type and a package type.
  • the separate type air conditioner has a cooling/heating unit mounted to an indoor unit and heat discharge/cooling unit and a compressing unit mounted to an outdoor unit which are connected with refrigerant pipelines
  • the package type air conditioner has a unitized cooling and the heat discharging functions and is mounted in a hole in a wall or a window, directly.
  • the air conditioner drops a temperature and humidity of the room air to provide comfort in summer.
  • the summer in which the air conditioner cools the room is a season when different kinds of noxious insects (flies, mosquitoes, mites, and so on) breed.
  • a method is on demand, for adding an insecticide function to the air conditioner which cools the room in the summer.
  • the noxious insects such as mosquitoes
  • transmit communicable diseases necessity for the insecticide function is greater.
  • insecticide means is in need, which can eradicate the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, while using no chemicals which can be harmful to a human body.
  • the insecticide means is mounted to the indoor unit or the like of the air conditioner, the noxious insect can be removed or eradicated at the same time with cooling or heating the room.
  • the air conditioner currently used widely may have one outdoor unit for a plurality of indoor units.
  • the indoor unit of the air conditioner can not be installed to all room spaces individually, an effective method is required for eradicating the noxious insects like the mosquitoes from respective partitioned spaces.
  • the present invention is directed to an air conditioner and a method for controlling the same.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner in which an ultrasonic generator provided for providing a mosquito eradicating function is mounted to an indoor unit of the air conditioner or a repeater connected to the air conditioner to enable to make wireless communication therewith, for making effective eradication of mosquitoes through the indoor unit of the air conditioner or the repeater, and a method for controlling the same.
  • an air conditioner includes an indoor unit for air conditioning indoor air, including a wireless communication unit having a short range wireless communication module for making short range wireless communication, at least one repeater including a wireless communication unit having a short range wireless communication module of a kind identical to the short range wireless communication module provided to the indoor unit, an ultrasonic generator having a piezoelectric element for emitting an ultrasonic wave, and a power supply unit, and an indoor unit control unit for controlling the indoor unit and generating a control signal for the repeater.
  • the repeater may have a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor.
  • the temperature sensor or the humidity sensor provided to the repeater can transmit temperature information or humidity information respectively measured thereby to the indoor unit and the indoor unit control unit can generate the control signal for the repeater based on the temperature information and the humidity information received from the temperature sensor or the humidity sensor.
  • the repeater has a human recognition sensor.
  • the human recognition sensor provided to the repeater transmits recognition information sensed thereby to the indoor unit, and the indoor unit control unit generates the control signal for the repeater based on the recognition information received from the human recognition sensor.
  • the indoor unit may further include a timer.
  • the indoor unit control unit can generate the control signal for the repeater based on time information from the timer.
  • the control signal generated at the indoor unit control unit and transmitted by the wireless communication unit to the repeater may include a power source signal for the repeater and an operation signal for the ultrasonic generator.
  • the operation signal for the ultrasonic generator may include a frequency, amplitude and an emission time period of the ultrasonic wave to be emitted from the ultrasonic generator.
  • the indoor unit may have a piezoelectric element for emitting an ultrasonic wave.
  • the indoor unit control unit can generate a power source signal or an operation signal for the ultrasonic generator of the repeater, and the short range communication module provided to the indoor unit can transmit the power source signal or the operation signal for the ultrasonic generator of the repeater from the indoor unit control unit to the repeater.
  • the repeater includes a repeater control unit for controlling the repeater wireless communication unit and the ultrasonic generator, and may be controlled by an independent user input separate from the indoor unit.
  • the short range communication modules provided to the indoor unit and the repeater may be any one of Bluetooth communication module, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) communication module, IrDA (Infrared Data Association) communication module, UWB (Ultra Wideband) communication module and ZigBee communication module.
  • RFID Radio Frequency Identification
  • IrDA Infrared Data Association
  • UWB Ultra Wideband
  • the ultrasonic wave from the repeater may vary within a range of 20 kHz or more and 100 kHz or less.
  • a method for controlling an air conditioner having an indoor unit, an ultrasonic generator, and at least one repeater having a control unit for controlling the ultrasonic generator includes the steps of transmitting a repeater control signal from the indoor unit to the repeater, or generating the repeater control signal at the control unit of the repeater according to a user's input or a preset condition, and emitting an ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic generator according to the repeater control signal transmitted from the indoor unit or generated at the control unit of the repeater.
  • the repeater control signal includes a power source signal for the repeater and an operation signal for the ultrasonic generator.
  • the operation signal for the ultrasonic generator can include a frequency, amplitude and an emission time period of the ultrasonic wave to be emitted from the ultrasonic generator.
  • the method further includes the step of generating the repeater control signal at the control unit for the repeater according to the preset condition when no transmission of the repeater control signal from the indoor unit presents and no user's input presents.
  • the method further may include the step of generating the repeater control signal at the control unit for the repeater according to the user's input when transmission of the repeater control signal from the indoor unit presents and the user's input is sensed.
  • the at least one repeater includes a plurality of repeaters and the method further includes the step of the transmitting the repeater control signals different from one another from indoor unit to the plurality of repeaters, respectively.
  • the air conditioner and a method for controlling the same of the present invention have the following advantages.
  • the ultrasonic generator can eradicate noxious insects, such as mosquitoes.
  • the short range wireless communication units provided to the indoor unit and the repeater permits integrated control, and selective eradication of the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, from the space having the indoor unit or the repeater mounted therein.
  • the ultrasonic generator of the repeater is operated according to the repeater control signal generated according to the user's input if the user's input presents at the repeater, and according to the repeater control signal from the indoor unit if the user's input does not present, the repeater can be controlled securely without conflict even if the user's input and the repeater control signal from the indoor unit are received at the same time.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an inside of a building having an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention installed thereto.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of ultrasonic generators at an indoor unit and a repeater, in detail.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram showing a relation of data input/output between an indoor unit of an air conditioner and a repeater.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart showing the steps of a process for operating a repeater of an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an air conditioner 500 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, including an indoor unit for air conditioning a room, and an outdoor unit connected to the indoor unit with a refrigerant pipeline.
  • the air conditioner is understood as a machine for air conditioning room air in a concept including a steps of room cooling, room heating, and humidifying, dehumidifying or cleaning the room air. Therefore, it is required to understand that the following description is not limit to a separate type air conditioner.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an air conditioner 500 for cooling or heating a room, having an indoor unit 200 and an outdoor unit 300 separated from each other, wherein the indoor unit 200 is a wall mounting type.
  • the air conditioner 500 in FIG. 1 has an indoor heat exchanger (not shown) and an outdoor heat exchanger (not shown) provided to the indoor unit 200 and the outdoor unit 300, respectively.
  • the air conditioner 500 cools or heats the room by a method in which, in a case the room is cooled, the indoor heat exchanger of the indoor unit evaporates the refrigerant and the outdoor heat exchanger of the outdoor unit condenses the refrigerant, and in a case the room is heated, the outdoor heat exchanger of the outdoor unit evaporates the refrigerant and the indoor heat exchanger of the indoor unit condenses the refrigerant.
  • the indoor unit 200 and the outdoor unit 300 have fans (not shown) for blowing air in processes of heat exchange of the room air and outdoor air with the heat exchangers, respectively. Therefore, in a process the refrigerant is evaporated or condensed at the indoor heat exchanger, the air blown toward the indoor heat exchanger heat exchanges with the indoor heat exchanger so as to be cooled or heated, and is supplied to the room for cooling or heating the room.
  • the air conditioner includes an ultrasonic generator 100.
  • the ultrasonic generator is mounted to the indoor unit for emitting an ultrasonic wave to a room space having the indoor unit installed therein.
  • the ultrasonic generator 100 may be mounted to the indoor unit to be exposed, always or selectively.
  • the ultrasonic generator 100 may be put into operation at the same time with, or separate from, starting of air blow from the indoor unit.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the indoor unit of an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • the indoor unit 200 is an air conditioning unit having an air inlet 4 for drawing the room air and an air outlet 6 for discharging the air conditioned air for drawing the air through the air inlet 4 and discharging the air conditioned air through the air outlet 6.
  • the air conditioner 500 may be of a stand type, a ceiling mounting type, or the wall mounting type. The indoor unit will be described taking the wall mounting type, as an example.
  • the indoor unit 200 includes a sash 10, a front frame 20, an inlet grill 21, a front panel 28, and an outlet unit 30.
  • the indoor unit 200 may have the air inlet 4 formed in a front and a top of the indoor unit 200, and the air outlet 6 formed in a bottom of the indoor unit 200, or an air inlet passage to be formed between the front of the indoor unit 200 and the front panel 28 as the front panel 28 is moved upward or rotated round an upper side or a lower side thereof, or the air inlet 4 formed in the top side of the indoor unit 200, the air outlet 6 formed in the bottom of the indoor unit 200, and the front panel 28 formed to cover the front of the indoor unit 200.
  • the indoor unit 200 which has the air inlet 4 formed in an upper side of the indoor unit 200, specifically, in the top side of the indoor unit 200, the air outlet 6 formed in a lower side, specifically, in the bottom side of the indoor unit 200, and the front panel 28 connected to the indoor unit 200 to form an front exterior of the indoor unit 200 and to be rotated forwardly upward round a top side thereof for servicing an inside of the indoor unit 200.
  • the sash 10 is a case mounted to the wall having an air flow passage for passing of the air and mounting of different components therein.
  • the front frame 20 is arranged in front of the sash 10 to form a space between the front frame 20 and the sash 10.
  • the front frame 20 has openings 4 and 5 in the top side and the front side respectively, wherein the top side opening serves as the air inlet 4 and the front side opening 5 serves as a service hole for mounting/dismounting a filer or to be used in service of the indoor unit 200, to be described later.
  • the inlet grill 21, enabling the room air to be drawn into the indoor unit 200 and to protect an underside thereof, is formed in a grill shape in the air inlet 4 which is the top side opening of the front frame 20.
  • outlet unit 30 in the indoor unit 200 for guiding discharge of the conditioned air fastened to at least one of the sash 10 and the front frame 20 with fastening means, such as a fastening member, or a hooking means, such as a hook.
  • the sash 10 has an air flow guide 12 for guiding the air drawn through the air inlet 4 toward the air outlet 6, and an electric machinery room 13 on either side of the air flow guide 12.
  • the air flow guide 12 in the sash 10 for forming a flow passage of the fan 54 to be described later includes left and right guides 15 and 16 projected forward from the sash 10, and a center guide 17 between the left and right guides 15 and 16.
  • Either one of the left and right guides 15 and 16 has a heat exchange supporter 18 mounted thereto for supporting the indoor heat exchanger 60 and forming an air flow passage.
  • the electric machinery room 13 in the sash 10 has a motor mounting portion 14 mounted thereto and projected forward therefrom for seating and supporting a fan motor 52 be described later thereto.
  • the electric machinery room 13 has a control box 70 mounted thereto, having an indoor unit control unit 72 for controlling a fan motor 52 of a fan unit 50 described later, a wind direction controller driving unit 35 of a wind direction controller, and an ultrasonic generator controller for controlling the ultrasonic generator 100 mounted thereto.
  • the ultrasonic generator controller will be described in detail, later.
  • the front frame 20 forms the air flow passage together with the sash 10 and protects the electric machinery room 13 on the sash 10.
  • the front frame 20 has the front opening 5 formed in a front/rear direction in front of the flow guide 12 of the sash 10 and the top side opening 4 formed in front of the top side of the flow guide 12 of the sash 10 in an up/down direction.
  • the outlet unit 30 has a drain portion 32 on a top side thereof for receiving condensed water dropped from the indoor heat exchanger 60 to have a drain connection hose 33 connected thereto for guiding the condensed water to an outside of the indoor unit 200. Under the drain portion 32, there is the air outlet 6 opened therein.
  • the outlet unit 30 has a wind direction controller for controlling a direction of wind of the air passing through the air outlet 6.
  • the wind direction controller includes a wind direction control unit 34 rotatably mounted to the indoor unit, more specifically, to the outlet unit 30 for controlling a wind direction of the air while guiding pass through of the air through the air outlet 6, and a wind direction control driving unit 35 for rotating the wind direction control unit 34.
  • the wind direction control unit 34 includes a left/right wind direction control unit for controlling a left/right wind direction of the air passing through the air outlet 6, and an up/down wind direction control unit for controlling an up/down wind direction of the air passing through the air outlet 6.
  • the wind direction control driving unit 35 may be connected to the left/right wind direction control unit for rotating the left/right wind direction control unit round a vertical axis, or connected to the up/down wind direction control unit for rotating up/down wind direction control unit round a horizontal axis.
  • the wind direction control driving unit 35 is a wind direction control motor mounted to a left side or a right side of the outlet unit 30.
  • the air conditioner of the embodiment includes the fan unit 50 for drawing the air through the air inlet 4 and discharging through the air outlet 6 via an inside of the indoor unit 200, and the indoor heat exchanger 60 for making the air drawn into the inside of the indoor unit 200 to heat exchange with the refrigerant.
  • the fan unit 50 includes a fan motor 52 seated on the motor mounting portion 14 in the sash 10, specifically, at the electric machinery room 14, a fan 54 mounted on a rotation shaft of the fan motor 52 and positioned at the flow guide 12, and a motor cover 56 mounted to the sash 10 to cover the fan motor 52.
  • the fan 54 is a cross flow fan extended in left/right directions between the flow guides 15, 16 and 17, more specifically, the left/right flow guides 15 and 16.
  • the indoor heat exchanger 60 is arranged in a space of the indoor unit 200 so as to be positioned between the air inlet 4 and the fan 54, specifically, in rear of the front of the front frame 20, with a bottom thereof to be positioned over the drain portion 32.
  • the indoor heat exchanger 60 includes a vertical portion 62 positioned vertically over the drain portion 32, a forward tilted portion 64 over the vertical portion 62 tilted upwardly backward, and a rear tilted portion 66 over the front tilted portion 64 tilted backward downwardly.
  • the air conditioner of the embodiment includes a filter 80 in the indoor unit 200 for cleaning the air drawn into the air inlet 4, and a filter frame 90 having the filter 80 mounted thereto.
  • the filter frame 90 is mounted between the air inlet 4 and the indoor heat exchanger 60 and has an opening 91 for passing through of the air and mounting the filter 80 thereto.
  • the ultrasonic generator 100 for eradicating or inducing noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, from the room under air conditioning with the air conditioner, may be mounted to the indoor unit 200.
  • the ultrasonic generator 100 may be mounted to the outdoor unit 300 for eradicating noxious insects from a space the outdoor unit 300 is installed therein.
  • the ultrasonic generator 100 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3, later.
  • the ultrasonic generator has an ultrasonic speaker 102 for emitting an ultrasonic wave of a particular wave band that the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, evade.
  • the ultrasonic generator 100 includes a ultrasonic generator control unit 180 for receiving a control signal from the indoor unit control unit 72 and being in charge of general control of the ultrasonic generator 100, a signal generating unit 183 for generating a pulse form of input signal selectively under the control of the ultrasonic generator control unit 180, a signal amplifying unit 185 for amplifying the ultrasonic signal from the signal generating unit 183, and the ultrasonic speaker 102 for converting and forwarding the input signal amplified at the signal amplifying unit 185 into a ultrasonic wave and forwarding the ultrasonic wave, additionally.
  • the ultrasonic speaker 102 of the ultrasonic generator 100 may be a speaker which converts an electric signal to an acoustic signal and forwarding the acoustic signal, and may, or may not, be fixedly mounted to the indoor unit 200.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an inside of a building having an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention installed thereto, having at least one repeater 600 which can make wireless communication with the indoor unit and has a piezoelectric element for emitting an ultrasonic wave.
  • the outdoor unit 300 is installed to a veranda, and the indoor units 200a and 200b are installed in rooms, and the outdoor unit 300 and the indoor unit 200 are connected with a pipeline 400.
  • a first indoor unit 200a is installed in the room, and a second indoor unit 200b is installed in a room adjacent to the outdoor unit 300.
  • a first indoor unit 200a is installed in the room
  • a second indoor unit 200b is installed in a room adjacent to the outdoor unit 300.
  • an indoor unit having an ultrasonic generator may be installed to every room space.
  • the installation of the indoor unit to each of the rooms requires a high cost.
  • the noxious insects such as mosquitoes
  • the room spaces can move to other room space.
  • the ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic generator can not be transmitted to every corner of the room spaces due to the walls and the like.
  • the air conditioner of the present invention provides the repeater 600 having an ultrasonic wave emitting function in every room space for maximizing the insecticide function.
  • the repeater 600 may be provided to each of the room spaces for eradicating the noxious insects, even though the repeater has no room cooling/heating functions.
  • the repeaters 600 can be operated under the control of, or independent from, the indoor unit.
  • the indoor unit 200 and the repeater 600 have wireless communication units for making wireless communication, respectively. That is, the indoor unit 200 has an indoor unit wireless communication unit (not shown), and the repeater 600 has a repeater wireless communication unit.
  • the indoor unit may have a sensing unit (not shown) for measuring a temperature and humidity of room air.
  • the sensing unit is able to sense temperature information and humidity information of the room, for using as control parameters for determining whether the room is cooled/heated, or dehumidified or not.
  • the sensing unit may be set to put the indoor unit into operation automatically for controlling the room temperature or the humidity.
  • the temperature information or the humidity information may be simply used for controlling the temperature and the humidity of the room, the temperature information or the humidity information may also used as a control parameter for controlling the ultrasonic generator.
  • the sensing unit may be set to put the ultrasonic generator into operation.
  • the indoor unit 200 can make wireless communication, and the indoor unit can transmit a control signal to the repeater 600, the indoor unit can control operation of the repeaters 600.
  • the user upon returning from an outing, the user desires to eradicate the noxious insects from the house, such as mosquitoes, efficiently by putting the ultrasonic generator mounted to the repeater into operation.
  • the repeaters are required to be put into operation individually, the user may be cumbersome.
  • the repeater 600 and the indoor unit 200 can make wireless communication, and wireless transmission of the control signal can be made from the repeater 600, convenience of the user can increase.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of ultrasonic generators at an indoor unit and a repeater, in detail.
  • the air conditioner of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 2.
  • the air conditioner may include the indoor unit 200 having an ultrasonic generator 100.
  • the repeaters 600 may have the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c mounted thereto
  • the indoor unit 200 which makes wireless communication with the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c and generates the control signal for the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c may also have the ultrasonic generator 100 mounted thereto for emitting the ultrasonic waves having frequencies in a range of 20 khz ⁇ 100 KHz.
  • the indoor unit 200 is shown to make wireless communication with the three repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c in total.
  • the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are called as a "repeater 600", hereafter.
  • the present invention provides an air conditioning system including an indoor unit 200 having a wireless communication unit 260 with a wireless communication module for making short range wireless communication, at least one repeater 600 having a wireless communication unit 260 with a wireless communication module the same kind with the wireless communication unit mounted to the indoor unit 200, an ultrasonic generator with a piezoelectric element for emitting ultrasonic waves with frequencies in a range of 20 Khz ⁇ 100kHz, and a power supply unit, and an indoor unit control unit 72 for controlling the indoor unit 200 and generating the control signal for the repeater 600.
  • the indoor unit wireless communication unit 260 and the repeater wireless communication unit 620 may use a short range wireless communication technology, such as Bluetooth, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), IrDA (Infrared Data Association), UWB(Ultra Wideband) and ZigBee, detailed description of which will be provided, later.
  • RFID Radio Frequency Identification
  • IrDA Infrared Data Association
  • UWB Ultra Wideband
  • ZigBee ZigBee
  • the indoor unit 200 includes the fan unit 50 driven by the fan motor 52, the wind direction control unit 34 driven by the wind direction control motor 35, the indoor heat exchanger 60 for making the air drawn thus to heat exchange with the refrigerant, an indoor unit control unit 72 for controlling general operation of the indoor unit, an input unit 220 for receiving different operation orders from a user, and a display unit 230 for displaying an acoustic signal emission state, additionally.
  • the indoor unit control unit 72 controls general operation of the indoor unit. For an example, upon reception of an operation signal for the air conditioner from the input unit 220, such as the remote controller, the indoor unit control unit 72 controls to start operation of the air conditioner, accordingly.
  • the indoor unit control unit 72 controls the fan motor 52 as the compressor (not shown) of the outdoor unit is operated, and controls the wind direction control motor 35 to control a wind direction. According to this, the air drawn from the room thus heat exchanges at the indoor heat exchanger 60, and the air heat exchanged thus is discharged to the room, again.
  • the indoor unit control unit 72 transmits an ultrasonic generator 100 operation signal to the ultrasonic generator control unit 180 of the ultrasonic generator 100 at the indoor unit.
  • the operation signal transmits the ultrasonic generator 100 operation signal to the ultrasonic generator control unit 180, if a control signal or the ultrasonic generator operation signal is received at the input unit 220.
  • the ultrasonic generator 100 may activate the insecticide function together with the room cooling/heating function, or can emit the ultrasonic wave separately without operating the indoor unit for activating the insecticide function only.
  • the ultrasonic generator 100 has a frequency in a range of 20 kHz ⁇ 100 kHz as a frequency band of the ultrasonic wave that the noxious insects evade. Since frequencies flies, mosquitoes, mites, moths, and Mayflies evade are different from one another respectively, the frequency of the ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic generator 100 of the present invention varies, detailed description of which will be made, later.
  • FIG. 5 Detail of the ultrasonic generator is shown in FIG. 5.
  • the signal generating unit 183 Upon reception of the operation signal from the ultrasonic generator control unit 180, the signal generating unit 183 emits a pulse signal according to the ultrasonic wave.
  • the signal generating unit 183 can perform pulse width modulation PWM for varying the evasive frequency of the pulse signal. According to this, the frequency of the pulse signal can be varied, simply.
  • the signal amplifying unit 185 amplifies the pulse signal from the signal generating unit 183.
  • the signal amplifying unit 185 may be fabricated of an OP amp, transistor.
  • the ultrasonic speaker 102 converts the pulse signal amplified thus to the ultrasonic wave.
  • the ultrasonic speaker 102 may emit ultrasonic waves of different frequencies in succession.
  • the ultrasonic speaker 102 a speaker, may be provided with a piezoelectric element as means for generating the ultrasonic wave.
  • the ultrasonic generator control unit 180, the signal generating unit 183, and the signal amplifying unit 185 may be arranged mounted to a board the same with the indoor unit control unit 72, or may be mounted to separate board which is detachably mounted together with the indoor unit control unit 72.
  • the ultrasonic speaker 102 may be connected to the signal amplifying unit 185 with wiring, or may be configured detachably with the signal amplifying unit 185.
  • the wiring may include a pulse signal transmission wiring for transmission of the amplified signal from the signal amplifying unit 185 to the ultrasonic speaker 102, and a power source wiring for supplying power to the ultrasonic speaker 102.
  • the ultrasonic generator control unit 180, the signal generating unit 183 and the signal amplifying unit 185 may be arranged on the control box 70 together with the board having the indoor unit control unit 72 mounted thereto, side by side.
  • the indoor unit control unit 72 may control the display unit 230 to display the acoustic signal. Since the acoustic signal from the ultrasonic generator 100 can be, not in an audible band, but in a frequency band of 20 kHz ⁇ 100 kHz, in order to make the user to perceive an operation of the ultrasonic generator 100 intuitively, it is preferable that emission of the acoustic signal is displayed on the display unit 230.
  • the display unit 230 may be fabricated by providing light emitting diodes which emit a light. If the acoustic signal is emitted from the ultrasonic generator 100, the display unit 230 can indicate the acoustic signal in a variety of fashions.
  • the display unit 230 can indicate such that a number of light emissions per unit time period or a light emission quantity becomes the greater as a frequency band of the acoustic signal becomes the greater. According to this, the user can guess not only emission of the acoustic signal, but also an approximate frequency of the acoustic signal, intuitively.
  • the operation of the ultrasonic generator control unit 180 may also stopped.
  • the ultrasonic generator 100 is connected to the indoor unit control unit 72 for receiving control signals related to operation.
  • the ultrasonic generator can be provided to the indoor unit as well as to the repeaters which can make wireless communication with the indoor unit, as described before.
  • the repeater may be plural.
  • both the indoor unit and the repeaters may be provided with wireless communication units, respectively.
  • the indoor unit 200 has an indoor unit wireless communication unit 260 for converting a signal from the indoor unit control unit 72 into an electronic wave and forwarding the electronic wave converted thus, and receiving and converting an electronic wave into a signal and transmitting the signal converted thus to the indoor unit control unit 72, and the repeater has a repeater wireless communication unit 620a, 620b, or 620c for converting an electronic wave from the indoor unit wireless communication unit 260 and transmitting the electronic wave converted thus to the repeater control unit, and converting a signal including information collected at the repeater control unit and forwarding the signal converted thus to the indoor unit wireless communication unit.
  • the short range wireless communication module may be, for an example, a Bluetooth module, or an IrDA (Infrared Data Association) module.
  • the Bluetooth is a communication standard for making short range low power wireless communication between wireless communication units.
  • the Bluetooth enables transmission of information between devices, such as mobile computers, cellular phones, headsets, PDAs, PCs, and printers. Since the Bluetooth divides a frequency band, the data transmission can be made, dividing the data over a plurality of frequencies.
  • the Bluetooth is relatively secure against security threat, and since a Bluetooth signal can transmit through a wall or a bag, the Bluetooth signal can be transmitted/received through an obstacle. Since the Bluetooth signal is transmitted in all directions, no particular mounting angle of the device is required for connection of the devices.
  • the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are provided with the Bluetooth modules, respectively.
  • the IrDA Infrared Data Association
  • the IrDA communication modules may be provided to respective devices for transmission/reception of data by using an IrDA communication standard.
  • the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c and the indoor unit 200 can exchange data to one another in a paired state.
  • the repeaters and the indoor unit can be used, together.
  • the first repeater 600a, the second repeater 600b and the third repeater 600c are paired with the indoor unit to make wireless data exchange.
  • the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c have repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c, respectively.
  • the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c control the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c, respectively.
  • the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c have independent power source units 630a, 630b and 630c, respectively.
  • the power source units 630a, 630b and 630c supply power to the repeaters, enabling easy mounting and transfer of the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c.
  • the power source units 630a, 630b and 630c of the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c may be utility power or detachable batteries, respectively.
  • the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c may have sensing units 640a, 640b and 640c for sensing temperatures and/or humidity, respectively.
  • the sensing units 640a, 640b and 640c can measure the temperatures and/or the humidity for providing the temperatures and/or the humidity of spaces the repeaters are mounted therein as repeater control information.
  • the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c respectively mounted to the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c can be controlled according to the temperatures and/or the humidity of the spaces the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are mounted therein.
  • the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c predict activity of the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, according to the temperatures and/or the humidity measured thus to control outputs or the like of the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c.
  • the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c can control the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c to output at maximum rates, respectively.
  • the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c can control the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c to output at rates lower than the maximum rates, respectively.
  • the sensing units 640a, 640b and 640c may respectively have human recognition sensors included thereto additionally, for verifying presence of any persons in the spaces the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are mounted therein for determining operation of the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c.
  • one of the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c relevant thereto can control one of the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c relevant thereto not to operate. Accordingly, the recognition information sensed by the human recognition sensors mounted to the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c is transmitted to the indoor unit 200, such that the indoor unit control unit 72 can generate controls signal for the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c (for an example, operation signals for the ultrasonic generator includes the frequency, amplitude, an emission time period of the ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic generator).
  • the control signal can be generated through the indoor unit control unit 72 or by the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c independently.
  • the indoor unit control unit 72 can make an output from the ultrasonic generator 100 different from outputs from the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c mounted to the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c, respectively. That is, if the temperatures and/or the humidity of the space the indoor unit 200 is installed therein are lower than the spaces the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are mounted therein, the outputs of the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c mounted to the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c may be made greater.
  • the former case has an advantage in that, at the time the user returns from an outing or is going out, the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c mounted to the repeaters may be put into operation, or may be stopped operation at a time through the indoor unit control unit 72.
  • the outputs of the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c mounted to the repeaters may be determined in conformity with the temperatures and/or the humidity of the space the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are installed therein, respectively.
  • repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c have individual power source units 630a, 630b and 630c and ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c, it is preferable that the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are configured to use the insecticide devices individually even if no air conditioner is provided.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram showing a relation of data input/output between the indoor unit of the air conditioner and the repeater.
  • solid lines denote direction transmission of signals
  • dashed lines denote indirect transmission of signals through other elements.
  • the temperatures and/or the humidity measured by the sensing units 640a, 640b and 640c mounted to the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are transmitted to the indoor unit 200, and the indoor unit control unit 72 can generate the control signal for the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c based on the temperatures and/or the humidity transmitted thus thereto.
  • the indoor unit and the repeaters sense the temperatures and/or the humidity at the indoor unit sensing unit 240 and the repeater sensing units 640a, 640b and 640c respectively, and transmit information tm1 and tm2 on the temperatures and/or the humidity sensed thus to the indoor unit control unit 72.
  • a reference symbol tm1 denotes the information on the temperature and/or the humidity sensed at the space having the indoor unit mounted thereto
  • a reference symbol tm2 denotes the information on the temperature and/or the humidity sensed at the spaces having the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c mounted thereto.
  • the information tm2 on the temperature and/or the humidity sensed at the repeater sensing units 640a, 640b and 640c can be transmitted to the indoor unit control unit 72 via the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c and the repeater wireless communication units 620a, 620b and 620c.
  • the indoor unit control unit 72 can determine whether the ultrasonic generator 100 of the indoor unit 200 or the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c of the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are put into operation or not and outputs thereof according to the information tm1 and tm2 on the temperatures and/or the humidity.
  • a time t can also be used as a control parameter of the ultrasonic generator.
  • the output of the ultrasonic generator may be set to be higher in the nighttime than in the daytime, or operative only in the nighttime. Even if no separate timer is provided, time information can be used by using a timer at the indoor unit control unit 72 of the air conditioner and so on.
  • the ultrasonic generator 100 of the indoor unit and the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c of the repeaters can be controlled by information on the temperatures and/or the humidity of respective spaces described before, the user can input an operation signal or an output determining signal IP200 and IP600 to the indoor unit and the repeaters through relevant input units, directly.
  • the indoor unit control unit 72 generates a power source signal or an operation signal for the repeater ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c of the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c
  • the indoor unit wireless communication unit 260 mounted to the indoor unit 200 can transmit the power source signal or the operation signal for the repeater ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c of the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c from the indoor unit control unit 72 to the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c.
  • the indoor unit 200 may be set or controlled such that the repeater ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c of the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are operated together with the ultrasonic generator 100 of the indoor unit 200.
  • the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c since the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c have the repeater ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c and the power source units 630a, 630b and 630c, the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c can be operated independent from control of the indoor unit 200.
  • the steps of a process for operating the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c of the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c will be described with reference to FIG. 7.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart showing the steps of a process for operating a repeater of an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • the air conditioner of the present invention include an indoor unit 200, an ultrasonic generator 650, and a control unit for controlling the ultrasonic generator 650, and the method for controlling the air conditioner includes the steps of transmission of a repeater control signal from the indoor unit 200 to the repeater 600, or generating the repeater control signal at a control unit 610 of the repeater according to user's input or a preset condition, and emitting an ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic generator 650 according to the repeater control signal transmitted thus from the indoor unit 200 or the repeater control signal generated at the control unit 610 of the repeater.
  • the repeater control unit 610 or the indoor unit control unit 72 determines whether a user's direct input to a repeater 600 presents or not (S701). That is, the control unit 610 or 72 determines whether the user turns on/off power to the repeater 600 or not, or the user inputs a frequency, amplitude, an emission time, and an emission period of the ultrasonic wave of the ultrasonic generator 650 of the repeater 600.
  • the presence of the user's input to the repeater 600 is determined by the repeater control unit 610 at the repeater 600 or by the indoor unit control unit 72. All of determinations described hereafter are the same.
  • the repeater control unit 610 determines that the user's direct input of an order to the repeater 600 in the step S701 presents, the repeater control unit 610 generates the repeater control signal according to the user's input (S702). Then, the ultrasonic generator 650 of the repeater 600 emits an ultrasonic wave according to the repeater control signal (S708).
  • control unit 610 or 72 determines that user's direct input to the repeater 600 in the step S701 does not present, and then, the control unit 610 or 72 determines whether a user's direct input to the indoor unit 200 presents or not (S703).
  • the indoor unit control unit 72 of the indoor unit 200 determines that the user's direct input to the indoor unit 200 presents, the indoor unit control unit 72 of the indoor unit 200 generates the repeater control signal, and forwards the repeater control signal to the repeater 600 (S704). Then, the ultrasonic generator 650 of the repeater 600 emits the ultrasonic wave according to the repeater control signal forwarded thus (S708).
  • control unit 610 or 72 determines that the user's direct input to the indoor unit 200 does not present in the step S703, and then, determines whether a preset condition on the indoor unit 600 presents or not (S705).
  • the preset condition on the indoor unit 600 may be an automatic turn on/off of the repeater 600, a frequency and amplitude of the ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic generator 650, and so on.
  • the indoor unit control unit 72 of the indoor unit If the preset condition on the indoor unit 600 presents, the indoor unit control unit 72 of the indoor unit generates the repeater control signal according to the preset condition, and forwards the repeater control signal to the repeater 600 (S706). And, according to the repeater control signal forwarded thus, the ultrasonic generator 650 of the repeater 600 emits the ultrasonic wave (S708).
  • the repeater control unit 610 determines that the preset condition on the indoor unit 600 does not present in the step S705
  • the repeater control unit 610 generates the repeater control signal according to a preset condition on the repeater 600 (S707).
  • the ultrasonic generator 650 of the repeater 600 may emit the ultrasonic wave according to the repeater control signal generated thus (S708).
  • the user's input may have a priority over the preset condition.
  • the preset condition set to the indoor unit 200 may have a priority over the preset condition set to the repeater 600.
  • the control unit 610 of the repeater 600 may generate the repeater control signal according to the preset condition.
  • the control unit 610 of the repeater 600 may generate the repeater control signal according to the user's input.
  • the method for controlling an air conditioner of the present invention can make control of the repeaters 600 securely since a plurality of the user's inputs to and the preset conditions on the indoor unit 200 and the repeaters 600 have priorities such that the user's inputs and the preset conditions do not conflict with one another.
  • the preset condition set to the indoor unit 200 has a priority over the preset condition set to the repeater 600 as an example, the priority is not limited to this, but other priority may also be set.
  • the preset condition set to the repeater 600 may be made to have a priority to the preset condition set to the indoor unit 200.
  • the air conditioner of the present invention may have a plurality of repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c.
  • All of the plurality of repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c may be operated under the same conditions. If the user inputs operation states different from one another to the plurality of repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c, the plurality of repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c may be operated differently according to the user's different input.
  • repeater control signals different from one another may be transmitted from the indoor unit 200 to the plurality of repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c, respectively.
  • the indoor unit control unit 72 can generate the control signal for controlling the ultrasonic generator 100 of the indoor unit according to the preset condition. Opposite to this, if the user's input to the indoor unit 200 presets, the user's input is given a priority such that the indoor unit control unit 72 can generate the control signal for controlling the ultrasonic generator 100 of the indoor unit according to the user's input.
  • the air conditioner and a method for controlling the same of the present invention have the following advantages.
  • the ultrasonic generator can eradicate noxious insects, such as mosquitoes.
  • the short range wireless communication units provided to the indoor unit and the repeater permits integrated control, and selective eradication of the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, from the space having the indoor unit or the repeater mounted therein.
  • the ultrasonic generator of the repeater is operated according to the repeater control signal generated according to the user's input if the user's input presents at the repeater, and according to the repeater control signal from the indoor unit if the user's input does not present, the repeater can be controlled securely without conflict even if the user's input and the repeater control signal from the indoor unit are received at the same time.

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Abstract

The present invention relates to an air conditioner having an ultrasonic generator for eradicating mosquitoes and a method for controlling the same. In more detail, the present invention relates to an air conditioner in which an ultrasonic generator provided for providing a mosquito eradicating function is mounted to an indoor unit of the air conditioner or a repeater connected to the air conditioner to enable to make wireless communication therewith, for making effective eradication of mosquitoes through the indoor unit of the air conditioner or the repeater, and a method for controlling the same.

Description

AIR CONDITIONER AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME
The present invention relates to air conditioners, and more particularly to an air conditioner having an ultrasonic generator for eradicating mosquitoes and a method for controlling the air conditioner having the ultrasonic generator, efficiently.
In a broad sense, the air conditioner is a device for air conditioning room air, including all machines for cooling, heating, humidifying, dehumidifying and cleaning the room air.
In a narrow sense, the air conditioner is a machine for cooling or heating a room with a refrigerating cycle of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator. In the air conditioners, there are a separate type and a package type.
Even though the separate type air conditioner and a package type air conditioner have the same functions, the separate type air conditioner has a cooling/heating unit mounted to an indoor unit and heat discharge/cooling unit and a compressing unit mounted to an outdoor unit which are connected with refrigerant pipelines, and the package type air conditioner has a unitized cooling and the heat discharging functions and is mounted in a hole in a wall or a window, directly.
Especially, the air conditioner drops a temperature and humidity of the room air to provide comfort in summer. The summer in which the air conditioner cools the room is a season when different kinds of noxious insects (flies, mosquitoes, mites, and so on) breed. A method is on demand, for adding an insecticide function to the air conditioner which cools the room in the summer.
Particularly, since the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, transmit communicable diseases, necessity for the insecticide function is greater.
Particularly, insecticide means is in need, which can eradicate the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, while using no chemicals which can be harmful to a human body.
Moreover, if the insecticide means is mounted to the indoor unit or the like of the air conditioner, the noxious insect can be removed or eradicated at the same time with cooling or heating the room.
The air conditioner currently used widely may have one outdoor unit for a plurality of indoor units. However, since the indoor unit of the air conditioner can not be installed to all room spaces individually, an effective method is required for eradicating the noxious insects like the mosquitoes from respective partitioned spaces.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an air conditioner and a method for controlling the same.
An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner in which an ultrasonic generator provided for providing a mosquito eradicating function is mounted to an indoor unit of the air conditioner or a repeater connected to the air conditioner to enable to make wireless communication therewith, for making effective eradication of mosquitoes through the indoor unit of the air conditioner or the repeater, and a method for controlling the same.
Additional advantages, objects, and features of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, an air conditioner includes an indoor unit for air conditioning indoor air, including a wireless communication unit having a short range wireless communication module for making short range wireless communication, at least one repeater including a wireless communication unit having a short range wireless communication module of a kind identical to the short range wireless communication module provided to the indoor unit, an ultrasonic generator having a piezoelectric element for emitting an ultrasonic wave, and a power supply unit, and an indoor unit control unit for controlling the indoor unit and generating a control signal for the repeater.
In this instance, the repeater may have a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor.
Moreover, the temperature sensor or the humidity sensor provided to the repeater can transmit temperature information or humidity information respectively measured thereby to the indoor unit and the indoor unit control unit can generate the control signal for the repeater based on the temperature information and the humidity information received from the temperature sensor or the humidity sensor.
And, the repeater has a human recognition sensor.
In this instance, the human recognition sensor provided to the repeater transmits recognition information sensed thereby to the indoor unit, and the indoor unit control unit generates the control signal for the repeater based on the recognition information received from the human recognition sensor.
And, the indoor unit may further include a timer.
The indoor unit control unit can generate the control signal for the repeater based on time information from the timer.
The control signal generated at the indoor unit control unit and transmitted by the wireless communication unit to the repeater may include a power source signal for the repeater and an operation signal for the ultrasonic generator.
The operation signal for the ultrasonic generator may include a frequency, amplitude and an emission time period of the ultrasonic wave to be emitted from the ultrasonic generator.
The indoor unit may have a piezoelectric element for emitting an ultrasonic wave.
If the ultrasonic generator provided to the indoor unit is put into operation, the indoor unit control unit can generate a power source signal or an operation signal for the ultrasonic generator of the repeater, and the short range communication module provided to the indoor unit can transmit the power source signal or the operation signal for the ultrasonic generator of the repeater from the indoor unit control unit to the repeater.
The repeater includes a repeater control unit for controlling the repeater wireless communication unit and the ultrasonic generator, and may be controlled by an independent user input separate from the indoor unit.
The short range communication modules provided to the indoor unit and the repeater may be any one of Bluetooth communication module, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) communication module, IrDA (Infrared Data Association) communication module, UWB (Ultra Wideband) communication module and ZigBee communication module.
The ultrasonic wave from the repeater may vary within a range of 20 kHz or more and 100 kHz or less.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling an air conditioner having an indoor unit, an ultrasonic generator, and at least one repeater having a control unit for controlling the ultrasonic generator, includes the steps of transmitting a repeater control signal from the indoor unit to the repeater, or generating the repeater control signal at the control unit of the repeater according to a user's input or a preset condition, and emitting an ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic generator according to the repeater control signal transmitted from the indoor unit or generated at the control unit of the repeater.
The repeater control signal includes a power source signal for the repeater and an operation signal for the ultrasonic generator.
Moreover, the operation signal for the ultrasonic generator can include a frequency, amplitude and an emission time period of the ultrasonic wave to be emitted from the ultrasonic generator.
And, the method further includes the step of generating the repeater control signal at the control unit for the repeater according to the preset condition when no transmission of the repeater control signal from the indoor unit presents and no user's input presents.
The method further may include the step of generating the repeater control signal at the control unit for the repeater according to the user's input when transmission of the repeater control signal from the indoor unit presents and the user's input is sensed.
The at least one repeater includes a plurality of repeaters and the method further includes the step of the transmitting the repeater control signals different from one another from indoor unit to the plurality of repeaters, respectively.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
The air conditioner and a method for controlling the same of the present invention have the following advantages.
The ultrasonic generator can eradicate noxious insects, such as mosquitoes.
The short range wireless communication units provided to the indoor unit and the repeater permits integrated control, and selective eradication of the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, from the space having the indoor unit or the repeater mounted therein.
Since the ultrasonic generator of the repeater is operated according to the repeater control signal generated according to the user's input if the user's input presents at the repeater, and according to the repeater control signal from the indoor unit if the user's input does not present, the repeater can be controlled securely without conflict even if the user's input and the repeater control signal from the indoor unit are received at the same time.
FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an inside of a building having an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention installed thereto.
FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of ultrasonic generators at an indoor unit and a repeater, in detail.
FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram showing a relation of data input/output between an indoor unit of an air conditioner and a repeater.
FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart showing the steps of a process for operating a repeater of an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Reference will now be made in detail to the specific embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an air conditioner 500 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, including an indoor unit for air conditioning a room, and an outdoor unit connected to the indoor unit with a refrigerant pipeline. As described before, in a broad sense, it is required that the air conditioner is understood as a machine for air conditioning room air in a concept including a steps of room cooling, room heating, and humidifying, dehumidifying or cleaning the room air. Therefore, it is required to understand that the following description is not limit to a separate type air conditioner.
FIG. 1 illustrates an air conditioner 500 for cooling or heating a room, having an indoor unit 200 and an outdoor unit 300 separated from each other, wherein the indoor unit 200 is a wall mounting type.
The air conditioner 500 in FIG. 1 has an indoor heat exchanger (not shown) and an outdoor heat exchanger (not shown) provided to the indoor unit 200 and the outdoor unit 300, respectively. The air conditioner 500 cools or heats the room by a method in which, in a case the room is cooled, the indoor heat exchanger of the indoor unit evaporates the refrigerant and the outdoor heat exchanger of the outdoor unit condenses the refrigerant, and in a case the room is heated, the outdoor heat exchanger of the outdoor unit evaporates the refrigerant and the indoor heat exchanger of the indoor unit condenses the refrigerant.
Accordingly, the indoor unit 200 and the outdoor unit 300 have fans (not shown) for blowing air in processes of heat exchange of the room air and outdoor air with the heat exchangers, respectively. Therefore, in a process the refrigerant is evaporated or condensed at the indoor heat exchanger, the air blown toward the indoor heat exchanger heat exchanges with the indoor heat exchanger so as to be cooled or heated, and is supplied to the room for cooling or heating the room.
Moreover, in order to produce an insecticide function, the air conditioner includes an ultrasonic generator 100. The ultrasonic generator is mounted to the indoor unit for emitting an ultrasonic wave to a room space having the indoor unit installed therein.
The ultrasonic generator 100 may be mounted to the indoor unit to be exposed, always or selectively.
The ultrasonic generator 100 may be put into operation at the same time with, or separate from, starting of air blow from the indoor unit.
FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the indoor unit of an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The indoor unit 200 is an air conditioning unit having an air inlet 4 for drawing the room air and an air outlet 6 for discharging the air conditioned air for drawing the air through the air inlet 4 and discharging the air conditioned air through the air outlet 6. The air conditioner 500 may be of a stand type, a ceiling mounting type, or the wall mounting type. The indoor unit will be described taking the wall mounting type, as an example.
The indoor unit 200 includes a sash 10, a front frame 20, an inlet grill 21, a front panel 28, and an outlet unit 30.
The indoor unit 200 may have the air inlet 4 formed in a front and a top of the indoor unit 200, and the air outlet 6 formed in a bottom of the indoor unit 200, or an air inlet passage to be formed between the front of the indoor unit 200 and the front panel 28 as the front panel 28 is moved upward or rotated round an upper side or a lower side thereof, or the air inlet 4 formed in the top side of the indoor unit 200, the air outlet 6 formed in the bottom of the indoor unit 200, and the front panel 28 formed to cover the front of the indoor unit 200. Hereafter, the indoor unit 200 will be described, which has the air inlet 4 formed in an upper side of the indoor unit 200, specifically, in the top side of the indoor unit 200, the air outlet 6 formed in a lower side, specifically, in the bottom side of the indoor unit 200, and the front panel 28 connected to the indoor unit 200 to form an front exterior of the indoor unit 200 and to be rotated forwardly upward round a top side thereof for servicing an inside of the indoor unit 200.
The sash 10 is a case mounted to the wall having an air flow passage for passing of the air and mounting of different components therein.
The front frame 20 is arranged in front of the sash 10 to form a space between the front frame 20 and the sash 10.
The front frame 20 has openings 4 and 5 in the top side and the front side respectively, wherein the top side opening serves as the air inlet 4 and the front side opening 5 serves as a service hole for mounting/dismounting a filer or to be used in service of the indoor unit 200, to be described later.
The inlet grill 21, enabling the room air to be drawn into the indoor unit 200 and to protect an underside thereof, is formed in a grill shape in the air inlet 4 which is the top side opening of the front frame 20.
There is an outlet unit 30 in the indoor unit 200 for guiding discharge of the conditioned air fastened to at least one of the sash 10 and the front frame 20 with fastening means, such as a fastening member, or a hooking means, such as a hook.
The sash 10 has an air flow guide 12 for guiding the air drawn through the air inlet 4 toward the air outlet 6, and an electric machinery room 13 on either side of the air flow guide 12.
The air flow guide 12 in the sash 10 for forming a flow passage of the fan 54 to be described later, includes left and right guides 15 and 16 projected forward from the sash 10, and a center guide 17 between the left and right guides 15 and 16. Either one of the left and right guides 15 and 16 has a heat exchange supporter 18 mounted thereto for supporting the indoor heat exchanger 60 and forming an air flow passage.
The electric machinery room 13 in the sash 10 has a motor mounting portion 14 mounted thereto and projected forward therefrom for seating and supporting a fan motor 52 be described later thereto.
The electric machinery room 13 has a control box 70 mounted thereto, having an indoor unit control unit 72 for controlling a fan motor 52 of a fan unit 50 described later, a wind direction controller driving unit 35 of a wind direction controller, and an ultrasonic generator controller for controlling the ultrasonic generator 100 mounted thereto. The ultrasonic generator controller will be described in detail, later.
The front frame 20 forms the air flow passage together with the sash 10 and protects the electric machinery room 13 on the sash 10.
The front frame 20 has the front opening 5 formed in a front/rear direction in front of the flow guide 12 of the sash 10 and the top side opening 4 formed in front of the top side of the flow guide 12 of the sash 10 in an up/down direction.
The outlet unit 30 has a drain portion 32 on a top side thereof for receiving condensed water dropped from the indoor heat exchanger 60 to have a drain connection hose 33 connected thereto for guiding the condensed water to an outside of the indoor unit 200. Under the drain portion 32, there is the air outlet 6 opened therein.
The outlet unit 30 has a wind direction controller for controlling a direction of wind of the air passing through the air outlet 6.
The wind direction controller includes a wind direction control unit 34 rotatably mounted to the indoor unit, more specifically, to the outlet unit 30 for controlling a wind direction of the air while guiding pass through of the air through the air outlet 6, and a wind direction control driving unit 35 for rotating the wind direction control unit 34.
The wind direction control unit 34 includes a left/right wind direction control unit for controlling a left/right wind direction of the air passing through the air outlet 6, and an up/down wind direction control unit for controlling an up/down wind direction of the air passing through the air outlet 6.
The wind direction control driving unit 35 may be connected to the left/right wind direction control unit for rotating the left/right wind direction control unit round a vertical axis, or connected to the up/down wind direction control unit for rotating up/down wind direction control unit round a horizontal axis.
The wind direction control driving unit 35 is a wind direction control motor mounted to a left side or a right side of the outlet unit 30.
In the meantime, the air conditioner of the embodiment includes the fan unit 50 for drawing the air through the air inlet 4 and discharging through the air outlet 6 via an inside of the indoor unit 200, and the indoor heat exchanger 60 for making the air drawn into the inside of the indoor unit 200 to heat exchange with the refrigerant.
The fan unit 50 includes a fan motor 52 seated on the motor mounting portion 14 in the sash 10, specifically, at the electric machinery room 14, a fan 54 mounted on a rotation shaft of the fan motor 52 and positioned at the flow guide 12, and a motor cover 56 mounted to the sash 10 to cover the fan motor 52.
The fan 54 is a cross flow fan extended in left/right directions between the flow guides 15, 16 and 17, more specifically, the left/right flow guides 15 and 16.
The indoor heat exchanger 60 is arranged in a space of the indoor unit 200 so as to be positioned between the air inlet 4 and the fan 54, specifically, in rear of the front of the front frame 20, with a bottom thereof to be positioned over the drain portion 32.
The indoor heat exchanger 60 includes a vertical portion 62 positioned vertically over the drain portion 32, a forward tilted portion 64 over the vertical portion 62 tilted upwardly backward, and a rear tilted portion 66 over the front tilted portion 64 tilted backward downwardly.
The air conditioner of the embodiment includes a filter 80 in the indoor unit 200 for cleaning the air drawn into the air inlet 4, and a filter frame 90 having the filter 80 mounted thereto.
The filter frame 90 is mounted between the air inlet 4 and the indoor heat exchanger 60 and has an opening 91 for passing through of the air and mounting the filter 80 thereto.
The ultrasonic generator 100 for eradicating or inducing noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, from the room under air conditioning with the air conditioner, may be mounted to the indoor unit 200.
Of course, the ultrasonic generator 100 may be mounted to the outdoor unit 300 for eradicating noxious insects from a space the outdoor unit 300 is installed therein.
The ultrasonic generator 100 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3, later.
The ultrasonic generator has an ultrasonic speaker 102 for emitting an ultrasonic wave of a particular wave band that the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, evade. Moreover, as described later, the ultrasonic generator 100 includes a ultrasonic generator control unit 180 for receiving a control signal from the indoor unit control unit 72 and being in charge of general control of the ultrasonic generator 100, a signal generating unit 183 for generating a pulse form of input signal selectively under the control of the ultrasonic generator control unit 180, a signal amplifying unit 185 for amplifying the ultrasonic signal from the signal generating unit 183, and the ultrasonic speaker 102 for converting and forwarding the input signal amplified at the signal amplifying unit 185 into a ultrasonic wave and forwarding the ultrasonic wave, additionally.
The ultrasonic speaker 102 of the ultrasonic generator 100 may be a speaker which converts an electric signal to an acoustic signal and forwarding the acoustic signal, and may, or may not, be fixedly mounted to the indoor unit 200.
FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an inside of a building having an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention installed thereto, having at least one repeater 600 which can make wireless communication with the indoor unit and has a piezoelectric element for emitting an ultrasonic wave.
Referring to FIG. 3, in a case of a residential space of the user, for an example, an apartment, the outdoor unit 300 is installed to a veranda, and the indoor units 200a and 200b are installed in rooms, and the outdoor unit 300 and the indoor unit 200 are connected with a pipeline 400.
Referring to FIG. 3, a first indoor unit 200a is installed in the room, and a second indoor unit 200b is installed in a room adjacent to the outdoor unit 300. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, there are five room spaces. Of course, an indoor unit having an ultrasonic generator may be installed to every room space. However, the installation of the indoor unit to each of the rooms requires a high cost.
And, even if the room spaces are partitioned with walls or partitions, the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, in the room spaces can move to other room space.
Even if the ultrasonic generator is mounted to the first indoor unit 200a, the ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic generator can not be transmitted to every corner of the room spaces due to the walls and the like.
Therefore, the air conditioner of the present invention provides the repeater 600 having an ultrasonic wave emitting function in every room space for maximizing the insecticide function.
Of course, through the indoor unit having the ultrasonic generator may be provided to every room space, since the cost increases significantly, the repeater 600 may be provided to each of the room spaces for eradicating the noxious insects, even though the repeater has no room cooling/heating functions.
The repeaters 600 can be operated under the control of, or independent from, the indoor unit.
The indoor unit 200 and the repeater 600 have wireless communication units for making wireless communication, respectively. That is, the indoor unit 200 has an indoor unit wireless communication unit (not shown), and the repeater 600 has a repeater wireless communication unit.
In general, the indoor unit may have a sensing unit (not shown) for measuring a temperature and humidity of room air. The sensing unit is able to sense temperature information and humidity information of the room, for using as control parameters for determining whether the room is cooled/heated, or dehumidified or not.
For an example, if the room temperature or humidity rises higher than a temperature or humidity the user sets, the sensing unit may be set to put the indoor unit into operation automatically for controlling the room temperature or the humidity.
Though the temperature information or the humidity information may be simply used for controlling the temperature and the humidity of the room, the temperature information or the humidity information may also used as a control parameter for controlling the ultrasonic generator.
Particularly, if a temperature or a humidity condition is met, at which activity of the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes increases, the sensing unit may be set to put the ultrasonic generator into operation.
Moreover, if the repeater 600 and the indoor unit 200 can make wireless communication, and the indoor unit can transmit a control signal to the repeater 600, the indoor unit can control operation of the repeaters 600.
For an example, upon returning from an outing, the user desires to eradicate the noxious insects from the house, such as mosquitoes, efficiently by putting the ultrasonic generator mounted to the repeater into operation. However, if the repeaters are required to be put into operation individually, the user may be cumbersome.
If the repeater 600 and the indoor unit 200 can make wireless communication, and wireless transmission of the control signal can be made from the repeater 600, convenience of the user can increase.
FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of ultrasonic generators at an indoor unit and a repeater, in detail. The air conditioner of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 2.
Referring to FIGS. 4, 5 and 2, the air conditioner may include the indoor unit 200 having an ultrasonic generator 100. Basically, though the repeaters 600 may have the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c mounted thereto, the indoor unit 200 which makes wireless communication with the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c and generates the control signal for the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c may also have the ultrasonic generator 100 mounted thereto for emitting the ultrasonic waves having frequencies in a range of 20 khz ~ 100 KHz.
Referring to FIG. 4, the indoor unit 200 is shown to make wireless communication with the three repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c in total. For convenience's sake, one of the repeaters is called as a "repeater 600", hereafter.
The present invention provides an air conditioning system including an indoor unit 200 having a wireless communication unit 260 with a wireless communication module for making short range wireless communication, at least one repeater 600 having a wireless communication unit 260 with a wireless communication module the same kind with the wireless communication unit mounted to the indoor unit 200, an ultrasonic generator with a piezoelectric element for emitting ultrasonic waves with frequencies in a range of 20 Khz ~ 100kHz, and a power supply unit, and an indoor unit control unit 72 for controlling the indoor unit 200 and generating the control signal for the repeater 600.
The indoor unit wireless communication unit 260 and the repeater wireless communication unit 620 may use a short range wireless communication technology, such as Bluetooth, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), IrDA (Infrared Data Association), UWB(Ultra Wideband) and ZigBee, detailed description of which will be provided, later.
And, the indoor unit 200 includes the fan unit 50 driven by the fan motor 52, the wind direction control unit 34 driven by the wind direction control motor 35, the indoor heat exchanger 60 for making the air drawn thus to heat exchange with the refrigerant, an indoor unit control unit 72 for controlling general operation of the indoor unit, an input unit 220 for receiving different operation orders from a user, and a display unit 230 for displaying an acoustic signal emission state, additionally.
The indoor unit control unit 72 controls general operation of the indoor unit. For an example, upon reception of an operation signal for the air conditioner from the input unit 220, such as the remote controller, the indoor unit control unit 72 controls to start operation of the air conditioner, accordingly.
In this instance, the indoor unit control unit 72 controls the fan motor 52 as the compressor (not shown) of the outdoor unit is operated, and controls the wind direction control motor 35 to control a wind direction. According to this, the air drawn from the room thus heat exchanges at the indoor heat exchanger 60, and the air heat exchanged thus is discharged to the room, again.
In the meantime, the indoor unit control unit 72 transmits an ultrasonic generator 100 operation signal to the ultrasonic generator control unit 180 of the ultrasonic generator 100 at the indoor unit. The operation signal transmits the ultrasonic generator 100 operation signal to the ultrasonic generator control unit 180, if a control signal or the ultrasonic generator operation signal is received at the input unit 220.
That is, if the indoor unit is in an operation mode, the ultrasonic generator 100 may activate the insecticide function together with the room cooling/heating function, or can emit the ultrasonic wave separately without operating the indoor unit for activating the insecticide function only.
It is preferable that the ultrasonic generator 100 has a frequency in a range of 20 kHz ~ 100 kHz as a frequency band of the ultrasonic wave that the noxious insects evade. Since frequencies flies, mosquitoes, mites, moths, and Mayflies evade are different from one another respectively, the frequency of the ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic generator 100 of the present invention varies, detailed description of which will be made, later.
Detail of the ultrasonic generator is shown in FIG. 5.
Upon reception of the operation signal from the ultrasonic generator control unit 180, the signal generating unit 183 emits a pulse signal according to the ultrasonic wave. The signal generating unit 183 can perform pulse width modulation PWM for varying the evasive frequency of the pulse signal. According to this, the frequency of the pulse signal can be varied, simply.
The signal amplifying unit 185 amplifies the pulse signal from the signal generating unit 183. The signal amplifying unit 185 may be fabricated of an OP amp, transistor.
The ultrasonic speaker 102 converts the pulse signal amplified thus to the ultrasonic wave. In the meantime, the ultrasonic speaker 102 may emit ultrasonic waves of different frequencies in succession. The ultrasonic speaker 102, a speaker, may be provided with a piezoelectric element as means for generating the ultrasonic wave.
The ultrasonic generator control unit 180, the signal generating unit 183, and the signal amplifying unit 185 may be arranged mounted to a board the same with the indoor unit control unit 72, or may be mounted to separate board which is detachably mounted together with the indoor unit control unit 72.
The ultrasonic speaker 102 may be connected to the signal amplifying unit 185 with wiring, or may be configured detachably with the signal amplifying unit 185.
The wiring may include a pulse signal transmission wiring for transmission of the amplified signal from the signal amplifying unit 185 to the ultrasonic speaker 102, and a power source wiring for supplying power to the ultrasonic speaker 102.
And, the ultrasonic generator control unit 180, the signal generating unit 183 and the signal amplifying unit 185 may be arranged on the control box 70 together with the board having the indoor unit control unit 72 mounted thereto, side by side.
In the meantime, if an acoustic signal is emitted from the ultrasonic generator 100, the indoor unit control unit 72 may control the display unit 230 to display the acoustic signal. Since the acoustic signal from the ultrasonic generator 100 can be, not in an audible band, but in a frequency band of 20 kHz ~ 100 kHz, in order to make the user to perceive an operation of the ultrasonic generator 100 intuitively, it is preferable that emission of the acoustic signal is displayed on the display unit 230.
Or, it may be possible to indicate the frequency of the ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic generator 100 in numerals.
The display unit 230 may be fabricated by providing light emitting diodes which emit a light. If the acoustic signal is emitted from the ultrasonic generator 100, the display unit 230 can indicate the acoustic signal in a variety of fashions.
For an example, the display unit 230 can indicate such that a number of light emissions per unit time period or a light emission quantity becomes the greater as a frequency band of the acoustic signal becomes the greater. According to this, the user can guess not only emission of the acoustic signal, but also an approximate frequency of the acoustic signal, intuitively.
In the meantime, it is also possible that, if a level of the pulse signal from the signal amplifying unit 185 detected exceeds a preset value, determining that an abnormal operation takes place, the operation of the ultrasonic generator control unit 180 may also stopped.
The ultrasonic generator 100 is connected to the indoor unit control unit 72 for receiving control signals related to operation.
Thus, the ultrasonic generator can be provided to the indoor unit as well as to the repeaters which can make wireless communication with the indoor unit, as described before. The repeater may be plural. In order to make the indoor unit and the repeaters to enable to make wireless communication, both the indoor unit and the repeaters may be provided with wireless communication units, respectively.
Referring to FIG. 4, the indoor unit 200 has an indoor unit wireless communication unit 260 for converting a signal from the indoor unit control unit 72 into an electronic wave and forwarding the electronic wave converted thus, and receiving and converting an electronic wave into a signal and transmitting the signal converted thus to the indoor unit control unit 72, and the repeater has a repeater wireless communication unit 620a, 620b, or 620c for converting an electronic wave from the indoor unit wireless communication unit 260 and transmitting the electronic wave converted thus to the repeater control unit, and converting a signal including information collected at the repeater control unit and forwarding the signal converted thus to the indoor unit wireless communication unit.
The indoor unit wireless communication unit 260 and the repeater wireless communication units 620a, 620b and 620c
may have the same kinds of short range wireless communication modules, respectively. The short range wireless communication module may be, for an example, a Bluetooth module, or an IrDA (Infrared Data Association) module.
The Bluetooth is a communication standard for making short range low power wireless communication between wireless communication units. For an example, the Bluetooth enables transmission of information between devices, such as mobile computers, cellular phones, headsets, PDAs, PCs, and printers. Since the Bluetooth divides a frequency band, the data transmission can be made, dividing the data over a plurality of frequencies.
Therefore, the Bluetooth is relatively secure against security threat, and since a Bluetooth signal can transmit through a wall or a bag, the Bluetooth signal can be transmitted/received through an obstacle. Since the Bluetooth signal is transmitted in all directions, no particular mounting angle of the device is required for connection of the devices.
In order to transmit/receive data by using the Bluetooth communication standard, the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are provided with the Bluetooth modules, respectively.
The IrDA (Infrared Data Association) is a physical communication protocol used for exchange of data within comparatively short range, and enables to transmit/receive the data. Alikely, the IrDA communication modules may be provided to respective devices for transmission/reception of data by using an IrDA communication standard.
Accordingly, once the Bluetooth modules are mounted to the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c and the indoor unit 200, the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c and the indoor unit 200 can exchange data to one another in a paired state.
Moreover, by registering a plurality of repeater to one indoor unit 200, the repeaters and the indoor unit can be used, together.
In FIG. 4, the first repeater 600a, the second repeater 600b and the third repeater 600c are paired with the indoor unit to make wireless data exchange.
The repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c have repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c, respectively.
The repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c control the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c, respectively.
The repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c have independent power source units 630a, 630b and 630c, respectively. The power source units 630a, 630b and 630c supply power to the repeaters, enabling easy mounting and transfer of the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c.
The power source units 630a, 630b and 630c of the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c may be utility power or detachable batteries, respectively.
Alike the indoor unit, the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c may have sensing units 640a, 640b and 640c for sensing temperatures and/or humidity, respectively.
The sensing units 640a, 640b and 640c can measure the temperatures and/or the humidity for providing the temperatures and/or the humidity of spaces the repeaters are mounted therein as repeater control information.
Therefore, the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c respectively mounted to the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c can be controlled according to the temperatures and/or the humidity of the spaces the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are mounted therein.
The repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c predict activity of the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, according to the temperatures and/or the humidity measured thus to control outputs or the like of the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c.
That is, if it is assumed that the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, are the most active at about 27℃ and relative humidity of 70 ~ 80%, if the temperatures and the relative humidity sensed at the sensing units 640a, 640b and 640c are about 27℃ and 70 ~ 80%, the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c can control the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c to output at maximum rates, respectively.
If the temperatures and the relative humidity sensed at the sensing units 640a, 640b and 640c of the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are lower than 27℃ and 70 ~ 80% respectively, the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c can control the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c to output at rates lower than the maximum rates, respectively.
Moreover, the sensing units 640a, 640b and 640c may respectively have human recognition sensors included thereto additionally, for verifying presence of any persons in the spaces the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are mounted therein for determining operation of the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c.
If it is determined by information sensed by the human recognition sensors that there are nobody in one of the spaces, one of the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c relevant thereto can control one of the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c relevant thereto not to operate. Accordingly, the recognition information sensed by the human recognition sensors mounted to the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c is transmitted to the indoor unit 200, such that the indoor unit control unit 72 can generate controls signal for the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c (for an example, operation signals for the ultrasonic generator includes the frequency, amplitude, an emission time period of the ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic generator).
The control signal can be generated through the indoor unit control unit 72 or by the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c independently.
In a former case, if the temperatures and/or the humidity of the space the indoor unit 200 is installed therein are different from the spaces the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are mounted therein from one another, the indoor unit control unit 72 can make an output from the ultrasonic generator 100 different from outputs from the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c mounted to the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c, respectively. That is, if the temperatures and/or the humidity of the space the indoor unit 200 is installed therein are lower than the spaces the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are mounted therein, the outputs of the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c mounted to the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c may be made greater.
The former case has an advantage in that, at the time the user returns from an outing or is going out, the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c mounted to the repeaters may be put into operation, or may be stopped operation at a time through the indoor unit control unit 72.
In a latter case, the outputs of the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c mounted to the repeaters may be determined in conformity with the temperatures and/or the humidity of the space the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are installed therein, respectively.
And, since the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c have individual power source units 630a, 630b and 630c and ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c, it is preferable that the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are configured to use the insecticide devices individually even if no air conditioner is provided.
FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram showing a relation of data input/output between the indoor unit of the air conditioner and the repeater. In FIG. 6, solid lines denote direction transmission of signals, and dashed lines denote indirect transmission of signals through other elements.
The temperatures and/or the humidity measured by the sensing units 640a, 640b and 640c mounted to the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are transmitted to the indoor unit 200, and the indoor unit control unit 72 can generate the control signal for the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c based on the temperatures and/or the humidity transmitted thus thereto.
Referring to FIG. 6, the indoor unit and the repeaters sense the temperatures and/or the humidity at the indoor unit sensing unit 240 and the repeater sensing units 640a, 640b and 640c respectively, and transmit information tm1 and tm2 on the temperatures and/or the humidity sensed thus to the indoor unit control unit 72. A reference symbol tm1 denotes the information on the temperature and/or the humidity sensed at the space having the indoor unit mounted thereto, and a reference symbol tm2 denotes the information on the temperature and/or the humidity sensed at the spaces having the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c mounted thereto.
In this case, the information tm2 on the temperature and/or the humidity sensed at the repeater sensing units 640a, 640b and 640c can be transmitted to the indoor unit control unit 72 via the repeater control units 610a, 610b and 610c and the repeater wireless communication units 620a, 620b and 620c.
The indoor unit control unit 72 can determine whether the ultrasonic generator 100 of the indoor unit 200 or the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c of the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are put into operation or not and outputs thereof according to the information tm1 and tm2 on the temperatures and/or the humidity.
Moreover, besides the information tm1 and tm2 on the temperatures and/or the humidity, a time t can also be used as a control parameter of the ultrasonic generator.
That is, as activity of the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, increases in a nighttime, the output of the ultrasonic generator may be set to be higher in the nighttime than in the daytime, or operative only in the nighttime. Even if no separate timer is provided, time information can be used by using a timer at the indoor unit control unit 72 of the air conditioner and so on.
Moreover, though the ultrasonic generator 100 of the indoor unit and the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c of the repeaters can be controlled by information on the temperatures and/or the humidity of respective spaces described before, the user can input an operation signal or an output determining signal IP200 and IP600 to the indoor unit and the repeaters through relevant input units, directly.
And, if the ultrasonic generator 100 mounted to the indoor unit 200 is put into operation, the indoor unit control unit 72 generates a power source signal or an operation signal for the repeater ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c of the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c, and the indoor unit wireless communication unit 260 mounted to the indoor unit 200 can transmit the power source signal or the operation signal for the repeater ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c of the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c from the indoor unit control unit 72 to the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c.
That is, if the ultrasonic generator 100 of the indoor unit 200 is in operation, since it can be assumed that the user's intention is to eradicate the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, from all of the room spaces, the indoor unit 200 may be set or controlled such that the repeater ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c of the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c are operated together with the ultrasonic generator 100 of the indoor unit 200.
In the meantime, in the air conditioner of the present invention, since the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c have the repeater ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c and the power source units 630a, 630b and 630c, the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c can be operated independent from control of the indoor unit 200. The steps of a process for operating the ultrasonic generators 650a, 650b and 650c of the repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c will be described with reference to FIG. 7.
FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart showing the steps of a process for operating a repeater of an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The air conditioner of the present invention include an indoor unit 200, an ultrasonic generator 650, and a control unit for controlling the ultrasonic generator 650, and the method for controlling the air conditioner includes the steps of transmission of a repeater control signal from the indoor unit 200 to the repeater 600, or generating the repeater control signal at a control unit 610 of the repeater according to user's input or a preset condition, and emitting an ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic generator 650 according to the repeater control signal transmitted thus from the indoor unit 200 or the repeater control signal generated at the control unit 610 of the repeater.
Referring to FIG. 7, the repeater control unit 610 or the indoor unit control unit 72 determines whether a user's direct input to a repeater 600 presents or not (S701). That is, the control unit 610 or 72 determines whether the user turns on/off power to the repeater 600 or not, or the user inputs a frequency, amplitude, an emission time, and an emission period of the ultrasonic wave of the ultrasonic generator 650 of the repeater 600.
The presence of the user's input to the repeater 600 is determined by the repeater control unit 610 at the repeater 600 or by the indoor unit control unit 72. All of determinations described hereafter are the same.
If the control unit 610 or 72 determines that the user's direct input of an order to the repeater 600 in the step S701 presents, the repeater control unit 610 generates the repeater control signal according to the user's input (S702). Then, the ultrasonic generator 650 of the repeater 600 emits an ultrasonic wave according to the repeater control signal (S708).
Opposite to this, if the control unit 610 or 72 determines that user's direct input to the repeater 600 in the step S701 does not present, and then, the control unit 610 or 72 determines whether a user's direct input to the indoor unit 200 presents or not (S703).
In this instance, if the control unit 610 or 72 determines that the user's direct input to the indoor unit 200 presents, the indoor unit control unit 72 of the indoor unit 200 generates the repeater control signal, and forwards the repeater control signal to the repeater 600 (S704). Then, the ultrasonic generator 650 of the repeater 600 emits the ultrasonic wave according to the repeater control signal forwarded thus (S708).
In the meantime, if the control unit 610 or 72 determines that the user's direct input to the indoor unit 200 does not present in the step S703, and then, determines whether a preset condition on the indoor unit 600 presents or not (S705).
The preset condition on the indoor unit 600 may be an automatic turn on/off of the repeater 600, a frequency and amplitude of the ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic generator 650, and so on.
If the preset condition on the indoor unit 600 presents, the indoor unit control unit 72 of the indoor unit generates the repeater control signal according to the preset condition, and forwards the repeater control signal to the repeater 600 (S706). And, according to the repeater control signal forwarded thus, the ultrasonic generator 650 of the repeater 600 emits the ultrasonic wave (S708).
In the meantime, if the control unit 610 or 72 determines that the preset condition on the indoor unit 600 does not present in the step S705, the repeater control unit 610 generates the repeater control signal according to a preset condition on the repeater 600 (S707). And, the ultrasonic generator 650 of the repeater 600 may emit the ultrasonic wave according to the repeater control signal generated thus (S708).
In summary of the process, the user's input may have a priority over the preset condition. And, while the user's input to the repeater 600 has a priority over the user's input to the indoor unit 200, and opposite to this, the preset condition set to the indoor unit 200 may have a priority over the preset condition set to the repeater 600.
That is, in the method for controlling an air conditioner of the present invention, if no repeater control signal is received from the indoor unit 200, and the user's input does not present, the control unit 610 of the repeater 600 may generate the repeater control signal according to the preset condition.
And, if the repeater control signal is received from the indoor unit 200, and the user's input is sensed, the control unit 610 of the repeater 600 may generate the repeater control signal according to the user's input.
Thus, the method for controlling an air conditioner of the present invention can make control of the repeaters 600 securely since a plurality of the user's inputs to and the preset conditions on the indoor unit 200 and the repeaters 600 have priorities such that the user's inputs and the preset conditions do not conflict with one another.
Though it is described that, while the user's input has a priority over the preset condition, and the user's input to the repeater 600 has a priority over the user's input to the indoor unit 200, the preset condition set to the indoor unit 200 has a priority over the preset condition set to the repeater 600 as an example, the priority is not limited to this, but other priority may also be set.
For an example, it is possible that the preset condition set to the repeater 600 may be made to have a priority to the preset condition set to the indoor unit 200.
Moreover, referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, the air conditioner of the present invention may have a plurality of repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c.
All of the plurality of repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c may be operated under the same conditions. If the user inputs operation states different from one another to the plurality of repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c, the plurality of repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c may be operated differently according to the user's different input.
Furthermore, even in a case the repeater control signal is transmitted from the indoor unit 200 to the plurality of repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c, repeater control signals different from one another may be transmitted from the indoor unit 200 to the plurality of repeaters 600a, 600b and 600c, respectively.
In the meantime, though the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 7 omits a case an ultrasonic generator 100 is provided to the indoor unit 200, the embodiment can also be applied to the indoor unit 200.
That is, if the user's input to the indoor unit 200 does not present, the indoor unit control unit 72 can generate the control signal for controlling the ultrasonic generator 100 of the indoor unit according to the preset condition. Opposite to this, if the user's input to the indoor unit 200 presets, the user's input is given a priority such that the indoor unit control unit 72 can generate the control signal for controlling the ultrasonic generator 100 of the indoor unit according to the user's input.
As has been described, the air conditioner and a method for controlling the same of the present invention have the following advantages.
The ultrasonic generator can eradicate noxious insects, such as mosquitoes.
The short range wireless communication units provided to the indoor unit and the repeater permits integrated control, and selective eradication of the noxious insects, such as mosquitoes, from the space having the indoor unit or the repeater mounted therein.
Since the ultrasonic generator of the repeater is operated according to the repeater control signal generated according to the user's input if the user's input presents at the repeater, and according to the repeater control signal from the indoor unit if the user's input does not present, the repeater can be controlled securely without conflict even if the user's input and the repeater control signal from the indoor unit are received at the same time.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims (20)

  1. An air conditioner comprising:
    an indoor unit for air conditioning indoor air, including a wireless communication unit having a short range wireless communication module for making short range wireless communication;
    at least one repeater including a wireless communication unit having a short range wireless communication module of a kind identical to the short range wireless communication module provided to the indoor unit, an ultrasonic generator having a piezoelectric element for emitting an ultrasonic wave, and a power supply unit; and
    an indoor unit control unit for controlling the indoor unit and generating a control signal for the repeater.
  2. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the repeater has a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor.
  3. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the temperature sensor or the humidity sensor provided to the repeater transmits temperature information or humidity information respectively measured thereby to the indoor unit and the indoor unit control unit generates the control signal for the repeater based on the temperature information and the humidity information received from the temperature sensor or the humidity sensor.
  4. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the repeater has a human recognition sensor.
  5. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 4, wherein the human recognition sensor provided to the repeater transmits recognition information sensed thereby to the indoor unit, and the indoor unit control unit generates the control signal for the repeater based on the recognition information received from the human recognition sensor.
  6. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indoor unit further includes a timer.
  7. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 6, wherein the indoor unit control unit generates the control signal for the repeater based on time information from the timer.
  8. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control signal generated at the indoor unit control unit and transmitted by the wireless communication unit to the repeater includes a power source signal for the repeater and an operation signal for the ultrasonic generator.
  9. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the operation signal for the ultrasonic generator includes a frequency, amplitude and an emission time period of the ultrasonic wave to be emitted from the ultrasonic generator.
  10. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indoor unit has a piezoelectric element for emitting an ultrasonic wave.
  11. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 10, wherein, when the ultrasonic generator provided to the indoor unit is put into operation, the indoor unit control unit generates a power source signal or an operation signal for the ultrasonic generator of the repeater, and the short range communication module provided to the indoor unit transmits the power source signal or the operation signal for the ultrasonic generator of the repeater from the indoor unit control unit to the repeater.
  12. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 11, wherein the repeater includes a repeater control unit for controlling the repeater wireless communication unit and the ultrasonic generator, and is controlled by an independent user input separate from the indoor unit.
  13. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the short range communication modules provided to the indoor unit and the repeater are any one of Bluetooth communication module, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) communication module, IrDA (Infrared Data Association) communication module, UWB(Ultra Wideband) communication module and ZigBee communication module.
  14. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic wave from the repeater varies within a range of 20 kHz or more and 100 kHz or less.
  15. A method for controlling an air conditioner having an indoor unit and at least one repeater having an ultrasonic generator and a control unit for controlling the ultrasonic generator, comprising the steps of:
    transmitting a repeater control signal from the indoor unit to the repeater, or generating the repeater control signal at the control unit of the repeater according to a user's input or a preset condition; and
    emitting an ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic generator according to the repeater control signal transmitted from the indoor unit or generated at the control unit of the repeater.
  16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the repeater control signal includes a power source signal for the repeater and an operation signal for the ultrasonic generator.
  17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the operation signal for the ultrasonic generator includes a frequency, amplitude and an emission time period of the ultrasonic wave to be emitted from the ultrasonic generator.
  18. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising the step of generating the repeater control signal at the control unit for the repeater according to the preset condition when no transmission of the repeater control signal from the indoor unit presents and no user's input presents.
  19. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising the step of generating the repeater control signal at the control unit for the repeater according to the user's input when transmission of the repeater control signal from the indoor unit presents and the user's input is sensed.
  20. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least one repeater includes a plurality of repeaters and the method further comprises the step of transmitting the repeater control signals different from one another from the indoor unit to the plurality of repeaters, respectively.
PCT/KR2010/005935 2009-09-21 2010-09-02 Air conditioner and method for controlling the same WO2011034302A2 (en)

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KR1020090089063A KR101596838B1 (en) 2009-09-21 2009-09-21 Air conditioner

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US10055781B2 (en) 2015-06-05 2018-08-21 Boveda Inc. Systems, methods and devices for controlling humidity in a closed environment with automatic and predictive identification, purchase and replacement of optimal humidity controller
EP3635299A4 (en) * 2017-08-24 2020-06-17 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Air-conditioner repeater, air-conditioner system and a control method thereof
US10909607B2 (en) 2015-06-05 2021-02-02 Boveda Inc. Systems, methods and devices for controlling humidity in a closed environment with automatic and predictive identification, purchase and replacement of optimal humidity controller
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US10909607B2 (en) 2015-06-05 2021-02-02 Boveda Inc. Systems, methods and devices for controlling humidity in a closed environment with automatic and predictive identification, purchase and replacement of optimal humidity controller
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KR20110031705A (en) 2011-03-29
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