WO2021235828A1 - System for managing air purifier equipped with composite filter, and operation method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a system for managing an air purifier equipped with a composite filter, and an operation method thereof. A system for managing an air purifier equipped with a composite filter, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, may comprise: a composite filter unit configured in a structure that can be mounted on an air purifier, and composed of a filter means for filtering foreign substances contained in air introduced into an air purifier, and a deodorizing means comprising an upper cap and a lower cap in the form of a disc respectively coupled to upper and lower portions of the filter means; a filter sensor for detecting a state of the composite filter unit; and a control unit for determining whether it is time to replace a filter of the composite filter unit on the basis of a filter state sensing signal received from the filter sensor.

Description

Composite filter-equipped air purifier management system and method of operation thereof

The present disclosure relates to a complex filter-equipped air purifier management system that provides a preemptive repair and management service of a functional filter through self-diagnosis of the filter life of the filter combined with a deodorizing block, and an operating method thereof.

BACKGROUND ART In general, home appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators, water purifiers, and air purifiers are designed to perform functions set by direct manipulation by a user, and typically include a plurality of function buttons in a main body.

In most of these home appliances, the entire operation is controlled by the control of a microcomputer with a built-in driving program, and when the user sets the corresponding function using the function button, the microcomputer controls the drive unit according to the set function to perform the corresponding function.

However, in home appliances, when a failure occurs while performing a function, a failure code is displayed to determine the cause of the failure. Even in this case, most users request a failure check.

For this reason, even when a simple failure occurs due to the user's carelessness, inspection is requested, so the number of failure inspection requests has increased. Accordingly, there is an urgent need to provide a better failure service to the user by performing a fixed diagnosis of the home appliance frequently and performing a failure check before a failure occurs.

In particular, in the case of air purifiers, it is impossible to provide information on the actual filter life reflecting different situations as the quantitative value of the filter life is not guaranteed and the filter life is guaranteed only for one year or six months of use. do. Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide users with an optimal service for using the air purifier by frequently performing fixed diagnostics on the filter replacement of the air purifier so that the filter replacement can be performed when the filter replacement time is reached.

On the other hand, conventionally, the filter and the deodorizing means are separated separately, and the filter is configured in a structure in which an injection cap and a HEPA filter are combined. That is, as environmental problems occur due to plastics used in injection caps, the development of alternative materials for solving the environmental problems of injection plastics is required. In addition, the injection cap is generally composed of a clogged structure in which air cannot flow due to the flow path structure (in the case of the heat fusion section between the injection cap and the HEPA filter fabric, the filter thickness, the width of the filter injection cap, and the size of the air purifier body mounting part are the same). , as the suction and/or discharge to the filter is reduced, there is a problem in that the performance of the air purifier (Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR), deodorization efficiency, noise, etc.) is reduced.

The above-mentioned background art is technical information possessed by the inventor for derivation of the present invention or acquired in the process of derivation of the present invention, and cannot necessarily be said to be a known technique disclosed to the general public prior to the filing of the present invention.

An object of the embodiment of the present disclosure is to solve the environmental problem caused by plastic and the performance degradation problem due to the clogging structure on the flow path structure through the production of a composite filter in which the deodorizing block and the functional filter are combined.

An object of the embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a preemptive repair and management service of a functional filter through self-diagnosis of the filter life of the filter coupled with the deodorizing block.

An object of the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is to diagnose the life of the functional filter through self-diagnosis of the functional filter and to replace the filter when the filter replacement time of the functional filter is reached.

An object of the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is to flow a microcurrent to the functional filter so as to maintain the formation of a minimum surface resistance for collecting fine dust particles.

One object of the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is to prevent automatic micro-current from being applied while the filter is being replaced, so that a safe filter replacement can be performed.

An object of the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is to remotely diagnose home appliances using a self-diagnosis program every preset period and to perform a failure check when a failure occurs due to a defect in the home appliance.

An object of an embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a firmware update function remotely or automatically when a recall occurs due to a program error due to the characteristics of home appliances.

One problem of the embodiment of the present disclosure is that, when an AS diagnosis or firmware update situation occurs for a customer who has purchased a home appliance that does not have an IoT function, no action is taken on the spot, but the factory (manufacturer) is brought in for diagnosis or parts It is to solve the inconvenient problem of replacement.

One object of the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide primary diagnostic information capable of diagnosing a failure due to a defect in a home appliance to realize AS diagnostic service standardization.

One task of the embodiment of the present disclosure is to improve customer service satisfaction through pre-service rather than post-service by utilizing a real-time self-diagnosis algorithm, although, when a failure occurs due to a defect in home appliances, a post-management service is mainly provided. is to do

The object of the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned tasks, and other objects and advantages of the present invention not mentioned may be understood by the following description, and will be more clearly understood by the embodiment of the present invention. will be. It will also be appreciated that the objects and advantages of the present invention may be realized by means of the instrumentalities and combinations thereof indicated in the claims.

The system for managing an air purifier equipped with a complex filter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a filter unit for filtering foreign substances contained in air introduced into the air purifier, a disk-shaped upper cap and a lower portion coupled to upper and lower portions of the filter unit. a composite filter unit configured to include a deodorizing means configured to include a cap, and configured to have a structure that can be mounted on an air purifier; a filter sensor for detecting the state of the complex filter unit; And based on the filter state detection signal received from the filter sensor may include a control unit for determining whether the filter replacement time of the composite filter unit has arrived.

An operating method of an air purifier management system equipped with a composite filter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes the steps of receiving a filter state detection signal from a filter sensor that detects a state of the composite filter unit, and based on the filter state detection signal, the composite filter unit It may include determining whether the filter replacement time has arrived, and transmitting a filter replacement code corresponding to the arrival of the filter replacement time to the server.

In addition to this, another method for implementing the present invention, another system, and a computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program for executing the method may be further provided.

Other aspects, features and advantages other than those described above will become apparent from the following drawings, claims, and detailed description of the invention.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, through the production of a composite filter in which the deodorizing block and the functional filter are combined, it is possible to solve the environmental problem caused by plastics and the performance degradation problem caused by the clogging structure on the flow path structure.

In addition, it is possible to remotely diagnose home appliances using a self-diagnostic program every preset cycle and, when a failure occurs due to a defect in the home appliance, perform a failure check to improve customer service response satisfaction.

In addition, in the event of a recall due to a program error due to the characteristics of home appliances, it is possible to improve customer satisfaction with service response by providing a firmware update function either remotely or automatically.

In addition, for customers who have purchased home appliances that do not have IoT functions, in the event of an AS diagnosis or firmware update situation, no action is taken on the site, but the inconvenient problem of diagnosing or replacing parts by entering the factory (manufacturer) can be solved. have.

In addition, it is possible to realize the standardization of AS diagnosis service by providing primary diagnosis information that can diagnose failures caused by defects in home appliances.

In addition, when a failure occurs due to a defect in the home appliance, post-management service is mainly provided, but by using a real-time self-diagnosis algorithm, it is possible to improve customer service satisfaction through pre-service rather than post-service.

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

1 is an exemplary diagram schematically illustrating an air purifier management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

3 is a view for explaining the structure of the air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

4 is a view for explaining the structure of a filter of the air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

5 is a view showing a cross-sectional view of a filter of an air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of an air purifier management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

7 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a dongle device included in the air purifier management system of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

8 is a flowchart illustrating an air purifier self-diagnosis method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

9 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a server (management device) included in the air purifier management system of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

10 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a server (management device) of FIG. 9 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

11 is a flowchart illustrating a method for managing an air purifier by a server (management device) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Advantages and features of the present invention, and methods for achieving them will become apparent with reference to the detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented below, but may be implemented in a variety of different forms, and includes all transformations, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention. . The embodiments presented below are provided to complete the disclosure of the present invention, and to fully inform those of ordinary skill in the art to the scope of the present invention. In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known technology may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The terms used in the present application are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the present application, the terms include or have is intended to designate that a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification exists, but one or more other features, number, step , it should be understood that it does not preclude in advance the possibility of the existence or addition of an operation, component, part, or combination thereof. Terms such as first, second, etc. may be used to describe various elements, but the elements should not be limited by the terms. The above terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and in the description with reference to the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding components are given the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions thereof are omitted. decide to do

1 is an exemplary diagram schematically illustrating an air purifier management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 1 , the air purifier management system may include an air purifier 100 , a dongle device 200 , a management device 300 , a user terminal 400 , and a network 500 .

The air purifier 100 is a home appliance that filters or collects dust or dust in the air introduced into the case by driving a motor fan, and discharges it as purified air. In this embodiment, although an air purifier is exemplified, the air purifier may be replaced with other home appliances.

The home appliance 100 may include a product that performs various functions for user convenience by using energy such as electricity, water, gas, or the like. Such home appliances include, for example, a water purifier providing purified cold/hot water, a washing machine/dehydrator/drying machine for washing/dehydrating/drying laundry, an air conditioner for cooling/heating indoor air, and food products. A refrigerator for performing freezing/refrigeration for fresh storage may also be included.

In this embodiment, the air purifier 100 is provided in the home and may include a network 500 and a communication function. That is, in the present embodiment, the air purifier 100 may have a communication function to communicate with the management device 300 through the network 500 .

The dongle device 200 may relay to enable communication between the air purifier 100 and the management device 300 . The air purifier 100 is not a device made for IoT and may not have a communication function, and the dongle device 200 may be connected to the air purifier 100 to provide a communication function. Alternatively, the air purifier 100 may have a basic communication function, but may not have communication performance for receiving a service according to the filter life diagnosis and filter life diagnosis according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this case, the dongle device 200 may Communication performance for receiving service according to filter life diagnosis and filter life diagnosis according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be provided.

The dongle device 200 executes a self-diagnosis algorithm that is stored therein and can diagnose the filter life of the air purifier 100 at a preset cycle as it is connected to the input/output terminal of the air purifier 100 to run the air purifier 100. Collects filter state data from the filter state data and compares the filter state data with reference data preset in the manual of the management device 300 to determine the filter life (whether the filter replacement time has been reached) of the air purifier 100, and replace the filter A filter replacement code corresponding to the arrival of the time may be transmitted to the management device 300 .

Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the filter life diagnosis of the air purifier 100 is described in detail as an embodiment, but it will be applicable not only to the filter life diagnosis but also to the air purifier 100 self-diagnosis. That is, the dongle device 200 executes a self-diagnosis algorithm that is stored therein and can diagnose the air purifier 100 at a preset period as it is connected to the input/output terminal of the air purifier 100 to receive from the air purifier 100 . It collects state data, compares the state data with reference data preset in the manual of the management device 300 to determine the failure of the air purifier 100 , and sends a failure code corresponding to the occurrence of the failure to the management apparatus 300 . can be transmitted

The management device 300 may remotely diagnose and monitor the filter life of the air purifier 100 when communication with the air purifier 100 is possible through the network 500 . In this case, the management device 300 collects filter state data from the air purifier 100 through the network 500 by executing a self-diagnosis algorithm inside, and filters the air purifier 100 based on the filter state data. It is determined whether the replacement time has arrived, and a service can be provided so that the filter replacement can be performed according to the arrival of the filter replacement time.

In addition, as described above, for self-diagnosis of the air purifier 100 itself, as well as for filter replacement, the management device 300 remotely controls the air purifier when communication with the air purifier 100 and the network 500 is possible. (100) can be diagnosed and monitored. In this case, the management device 300 executes a self-diagnosis algorithm inside to collect status data from the air purifier 100 through the network 500 , and based on the status data, a defect occurs for the air purifier 100 . and can provide services to resolve the occurrence of defects.

The dongle device 200 may receive a model number from the air purifier 100 as it is connected to the air purifier 100 . Here, the model number may be an identification number for identifying a product model of the air purifier 100 , and may be stored in a memory within the air purifier 100 .

The dongle device 200 may be configured to receive reference data for the air purifier 100 and a self-diagnosis algorithm for the air purifier 100 from the management device 300 according to the received model number.

As a server, the management device 300 may have, as a database, reference data for determining whether or not defective and a defective type of various home appliances as well as the air purifier. In particular, in this embodiment, reference data for diagnosing the filter life of the air purifier may be stored as a database. In this case, the database may store such reference data for each type and model of home appliances, particularly air purifiers.

In addition, the management device 300 can determine whether a failure or failure of other home appliances and self-diagnostic algorithms for diagnosing the filter life according to the reference data for each type and model of home appliances, particularly air purifiers, and other home appliances. It may store self-diagnostic algorithms that make it possible.

The self-diagnosis algorithm may be configured to cause the processor of the dongle device 200 to compare the filter state data with the reference data to determine the filter life of the air purifier 100 , that is, a filter replacement code corresponding to the arrival of the filter replacement time.

The self-diagnosis algorithm is computer software, and when executed by the processor of the dongle device 200, the processor compares the filter state data with the reference data to determine the filter replacement code corresponding to the arrival of the filter replacement time of the air purifier 100 It may contain instructions to do so.

The management device 300 may transmit filter life diagnosis request information for the air purifier 100 to the dongle device 200 , and result data for the filter life diagnosis of the air purifier 100 or air from the dongle device 200 . A filter replacement code corresponding to the arrival of the filter replacement time of the purifier 100 may be received. Here, the dongle device 200 collects filter state data from the air purifier 100 by executing a self-diagnosis algorithm stored therein, and compares the filter with reference data to filter corresponding to the arrival of the filter replacement time of the air purifier 100 . A replacement code may be generated and transmitted to the management device 300 .

In this embodiment, the service provided by the management device 300 for filter replacement according to the arrival of the filter replacement time of the air purifier 100 may include one of the first to third services.

The first service may include a service for transmitting the latest firmware for the air purifier 100 to the dongle device 200 to update the firmware of the air purifier 100 to the latest firmware. The second service transmits a filter replacement code and a filter replacement manual corresponding to the filter replacement code to the counselor terminal 400, and allows the counselor to use the air purifier 100 through consultation with a customer equipped with the air purifier 100. It may include a service to perform filter replacement through manipulation. The third service transmits the filter replacement code and the repair manual and necessary material information corresponding to the filter replacement code to the AS technician terminal 400, and allows the AS technician to visit the home of the customer equipped with the air purifier 100, It may include a service to perform filter replacement for the air purifier (100).

In this embodiment, the management device 300 orders a material capable of performing filter replacement of the air purifier 100 in response to a filter replacement code to a material management device (not shown) along with the provision of the third service. , you can have an after-sales technician come to the customer's home with materials.

The management device 300 may be a server for managing and operating the air purifier 100 . For example, the management apparatus 300 may be an operation server in charge of operating various devices so that the air purifier 100 can be managed to smoothly exchange necessary information. For example, the management apparatus 300 may be an operation server in charge of operation of various devices so that necessary information can be smoothly exchanged by managing new registration of the air purifier 100, checking a sensor state, replacing a filter, and the like.

Also, the management device 300 may be a database server that provides big data necessary for applying various artificial intelligence algorithms and data for managing the air purifier 100 . In addition, the management device 300 includes a web server or an application server for remotely monitoring the operation of the air purifier 100 using an air purifier management application installed in the user terminal 400 or an air purifier management web browser. can do.

Here, artificial intelligence (AI) is a field of computer science and information technology that studies how computers can do the thinking, learning, and self-development that can be done with human intelligence. It could mean making it possible to imitate intelligent behavior.

Also, artificial intelligence does not exist by itself, but has many direct and indirect connections with other fields of computer science. In particular, in modern times, attempts are being made to introduce artificial intelligence elements in various fields of information technology and use them to solve problems in that field.

Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence, which can include fields of study that give computers the ability to learn without explicit programming. Specifically, machine learning can be said to be a technology that studies and builds a system and an algorithm for learning based on empirical data, making predictions, and improving its own performance. Algorithms in machine learning can take the approach of building specific models to make predictions or decisions based on input data, rather than executing strictly set static program instructions.

The management device 300 may receive and analyze service request information from the air purifier 100 , generate service response information corresponding to the service request information, and transmit it to the air purifier 100 .

In the present embodiment, when the voice recognition service is available in the air purifier 100 , the management device 300 receives the uttered voice corresponding to the user's service request from the air purifier 100 , and the uttered voice through voice recognition processing may be provided to the air purifier 100 by generating the processing result as service response information.

The user terminal 400 may access an air purifier management application and/or an air purifier management site provided by the management device 300 to receive an air purifier management service. Here, the user means a customer who can receive the air purifier management service, a counselor of the AS management device (not shown) that provides consultation information to the customer who will receive the air purifier management service, and the home of the customer who can receive the air purifier management service An after-sales technician of an after-sales device (not shown) who visits and repairs home appliances, a manager of the home appliance business unit (not shown) that manufactures, supplies, and manages the air purifier 100, and materials that supply necessary materials upon request It may include a manager of a management device (not shown), and the like. Hereinafter, the user terminal 400 may include one of a customer's terminal, a counselor's terminal, an AS processing engineer's terminal, and an administrator's terminal.

The user terminal 400 may include a communication terminal capable of performing a function of a computing device (not shown), and may include a desktop computer, a smartphone, a tablet PC, a notebook computer, a smart phone, a tablet PC, a notebook computer, a smart TV, a mobile phone, and a PDA operated by a user. (personal digital assistant), laptop, media player, micro server, global positioning system (GPS) device, e-book reader, digital broadcast terminal, navigation, kiosk, MP3 player, digital camera, consumer electronics and other mobile or non-mobile computing devices may be, but is not limited thereto. Also, the user terminal 400 may be a wearable terminal such as a watch, glasses, a hair band, and a ring having a communication function and a data processing function. The user terminal 400 is not limited to the above description, and a terminal capable of web browsing may be borrowed without limitation.

The network 500 may serve to connect the air purifier 100 and the management device 300 . Such a network 500 is, for example, a wired network such as local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), integrated service digital networks (ISDNs), or wireless LANs, CDMA, Bluetooth, and satellite communication. It may cover a wireless network such as, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Also, the network 500 may transmit/receive information using short-distance communication and/or long-distance communication. Here, the short-range communication may include Bluetooth (bluetooth), radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), ultra-wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) technologies, Telecommunication includes code division multiple access (CDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) technologies can do.

Network 500 may include connections of network elements such as hubs, bridges, routers, and switches. Network 500 may include one or more connected networks, eg, multiple network environments, including public networks such as the Internet and private networks such as secure enterprise private networks. Access to network 500 may be provided via one or more wired or wireless access networks. Furthermore, the network 500 may support an Internet of Things (IoT) network and/or 5G communication that exchanges and processes information between distributed components such as things.

Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the dongle device 200 and/or the management device 300 may be omitted, and the dongle device 200 and/or the management device 300 may be omitted, which will be described later. The control unit 190 can perform the processes performed by the dongle device 200 and the management device 300, and the dongle device 200 is various communication means that enable communication with various relay devices or servers, The management device 300 may be alternatively implemented as a server.

2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the following description, the part overlapping with the description of FIG. 1 will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the air purifier 100 includes a communication unit 130 , a user interface 140 , a sensor unit 150 , a motor 160 , a signal sensing unit 170 , a memory 180 and a control unit 190 . may include.

The communication unit 130 may be a communication interface required to provide a transmission/reception signal between the air purifier 100 , the management device 300 , and the user terminal 400 in the form of packet data in conjunction with the network 500 . In addition, the communication unit 130 may support various things intelligent communication (Internet of things (IoT), Internet of everything (IoE), Internet of small things (IoST), etc.), and M2M (machine to machine) communication, V2X ( Vehicle to everything communication) communication, D2D (device to device) communication, etc. may be supported. Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the second communication unit 710 may be configured to include a gateway.

The user interface 140 may include an input interface and an output interface of the air purifier 100 .

The input interface is a configuration in which a user can input information related to the overall operation and control of the air purifier 100. For example, the input interface includes a microphone (not shown) for voice recognition, a touch screen for touch input ( not shown) and the like.

The output interface may include a speaker (not shown), a display screen (not shown), and the like. In addition, the output interface may include a configuration in which the user can output information related to the overall operation and control of the air purifier 100 . That is, it may include a configuration for an interface with a user.

The user interface 140 is a configuration in which a user can input information related to the air purifier 100 as well as check information related to the air purifier 100 , and may refer to a control panel capable of input and output. have.

In this embodiment, the user interface 140 may be implemented in the user terminal 400 . For example, in this embodiment, user input and information output may be made possible through an air purifier management application of the user terminal 400 or an access screen of an air purifier management site.

3 is a view for explaining the structure of an air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the structure of a filter of the air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. It is a view showing a cross-sectional view of a filter of an air purifier according to an embodiment of the disclosure. In the following description, descriptions of parts overlapping with those of FIGS. 1 and 2 will be omitted.

The structure of the air purifier 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5 .

Referring to FIG. 3 , the air purifier 100 of the present embodiment may include a main body 110 and a composite filter unit 120 .

The main body 110 includes a case 111 having an outdoor air inlet and an air outlet formed therein, and a removable filter cover ( 112), a fan (not shown) that sucks outdoor air through the outdoor air inlet, passes it through a filter, and discharges it to the air outlet, a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor (not shown) that rotates the fan, and outdoor air intake It may include a heater (not shown) for heating the inhaled air, and a plurality of sensors provided in the air purifier 100 to detect various situations. In particular, in this embodiment, the humidity sensor 114 for detecting the ambient humidity of the air purifier 100 and the door sensor 115 for detecting the opening and closing of the filter cover 112 may be included.

Meanwhile, the composite filter unit 120 may include various filters such as an ultrafine pre-filter, a deodorizing filter, and a HEPA filter, and in this embodiment, a cylindrical composite filter in which a deodorizing filter and a HEPA filter are combined may be applied. . However, the shape and type of the filter is not limited and may be variously selected and changed.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the composite filter unit 120 configured as a composite filter will be described in detail. The composite filter unit 120 may be configured to include a deodorizing means 121 configured to perform a deodorizing function and configured in the structure of upper and lower caps on the flow path structure, and a filter means 122 to perform the role of a HEPA filter. .

In particular, in this embodiment, the composite filter unit 120 includes a filter unit 122 for filtering foreign substances contained in the air introduced into the air purifier 100, and a disc shape coupled to the upper and lower portions of the filter unit 122. It may be configured to include a deodorizing means 121 including the upper cap 121-1 and the lower cap 121-2 of the. Since the composite filter unit 120 may be mounted or removed in the air purifier 100 for filter replacement, etc., the composite filter unit 120 may be configured in a structure capable of being mounted (combined) in the air purifier 100 .

The filter means 122 has a cylindrical structure for air filtration, and may be configured as a folded structure in which mountains and valleys are repeatedly formed. Accordingly, with a larger area, more air may be filtered. In this embodiment, the filter means 122 is configured to include a HEPA filter as an embodiment, but is not limited thereto. At this time, HEPA of the HEPA filter is an abbreviation of 'High Efficiency Particulate Air', and the HEPA filter refers to a high-performance filter capable of filtering out most of the extremely fine particles. The size of the droplet is 0.5㎛ level, and the HEPA filter can filter more than 99.97% of 0.3㎛ (micrometer) particles in the air.

The deodorizing means 121 may be formed in a structure in which the upper cap 121-1 and the lower cap 121-2 are symmetrical to each other, and corresponding to the hole size of the filter means 122, PM 1.0, PM 2.5 and It may be formed in a hole structure smaller than the size of at least one of PM 10.0. That is, the deodorizing means 121 may be formed in a hole structure that allows ventilation in the flow path structure.

In addition, the deodorizing means 121 may be configured to include solidified activated carbon, for example, may be configured in an open cell structure such as a honeycomb type. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

Conventionally, a separate deodorizing filter made of activated carbon is provided, and a cylindrical HEPA filter is provided in a form combined with an injection plastic cap. Accordingly, it is necessary to develop an alternative material to solve the environmental problem of injection plastics. In addition, in the related art, the area of the portion where the injection cap and the HEPA filter are coupled is composed of a clogged structure in the flow path structure, and as air intake and exhaust are reduced, the performance of the air purifier 100 (CADR, deodorization efficiency, noise, etc.) There was a problem with this degradation. In other words, in the case of the thermal fusion section between the injection cap and the HEPA filter fabric, the filter thickness, the injection cap width, and the size of the portion seated on the air purifier 100 are configured in the same structure, so that air cannot flow.

That is, in this embodiment, a separate deodorizing filter made of conventional activated carbon is replaced with a deodorizing block having hard properties such as injection plastic, and the fusion of the deodorizing block (activated carbon is kneaded and solidified in a mold) and the HEPA filter is performed. It is possible to apply a complex filter through That is, it is possible to facilitate the production of a filter combined with a HEPA filter by developing a deodorizing unit case in the form of a cap using a deodorizing block-shaped frame.

In other words, the composite filter unit 120 of this embodiment is heat-sealed and fixed so that the filter means 122 and the deodorizing means 121 are in close contact with each other, and the deodorizing means 121 corresponds to the hole size of the filter means 122 . It is composed of a single hole structure, so that there is no leaking part of the joint part with the filter means 122 . In addition, since the composite filter unit 120 of this embodiment has a flow path structure in which the air that has passed through the filter means 122 passes through the deodorizing means 121 in the form of a cap, the deodorizing means 121 has a structure advantageous for ventilation. can do.

On the other hand, in the case of the filter of the air purifier 100, it is not possible to guarantee a quantitative value regarding the lifespan, and in general, the filter life is guaranteed only for a usage time such as 1 year or 6 months. There is a problem that it is difficult to present information.

Accordingly, in the present embodiment, when dust accumulates on the filter, it is possible to diagnose the life of the filter and check whether the filter replacement time has been reached by using the principle that resistance is generated. It may be collectively referred to as a filter sensor, which will be described later, capable of detecting such filter dust ( FIG. 8 ). A detailed method of performing self-diagnosis of the filter by measuring the resistance value will be described later ( FIG. 6 ).

In this embodiment, the structure as shown in FIG. 5 may be configured to implement the method as described above. Accordingly, referring to FIG. 5 , the composite filter unit 120 of this embodiment includes the electrode units 123 and 124 provided so that a current is applied to the filter unit 122 , and is connected to the electrode units 123 and 124 to filter the filter. It may be configured to include at least two or more metal wires (a) installed in the longitudinal direction of the means (122). For example, the metal wire (a) may be provided in the folded portions of the filter means 122, it may be composed of a conductor such as copper, iron.

In addition, the electrode parts 123 and 124 may include two electrode terminals (eg, the 1-1 electrode and the 1-2 electrode) for measuring resistance applied between the electrodes. The electrode units 123 and 124 may be configured to be in contact with the current applying unit 113 provided in the body unit 110 of the air purifier 100, and the metal wire (a) is connected to each electrode unit. Since it can be configured in a structure connected to the electrodes included in the electrodes 123 and 124 , the number of terminals for applying a current of the current applying unit 113 and the electrode terminals included in each of the electrode units 123 and 123 . The number of and the number of metal lines (a) may be the same.

In other words, the composite filter unit 120 includes the electrode units 123 and 124 provided so that the current is applied by contacting the current applying unit 113 provided in the body unit 110 when the body unit 110 is mounted, and the electrode. Constructed including two metal wires respectively connected to the two electrode terminals (eg, 1-1 electrode, 1-2 electrode) of the parts 123 and 124 and installed in the longitudinal direction of the composite filter unit 120 . can be According to an embodiment, a fine voltage may be applied.

In the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the electrode part is divided into a first electrode part 123 and a second electrode part 124 , and the first sensing line 125 and the first electrode part 123 for the first electrode part 123 . The second electrode part 124 may be classified as a second sensing line 126 . In this case, it may be assumed that the first sensing line 125 is free of dust, and the second sensing line 126 may be assumed that there is dust.

Accordingly, since there is no dust in the first sensing line 125 and no resistance is sensed, a reference voltage according to the applied minute current may be measured. In addition, since resistance is sensed due to dust in the second sensing line 126 , a resistance value compared to a reference voltage can be calculated and a voltage change can be detected. That is, the presence or absence of dust can be determined by detecting the difference in resistance between the metal wire to which the current is applied and the metal wire to which the current is not applied. At this time, in the present embodiment, the ADC value may be compared with the reference value after calculating the resistance value, which is an analog value, using the ADC.

That is, in the present embodiment, when the calculated ADC value (resistance value) is equal to or greater than the reference value, it is determined that a lot of dust has accumulated, and it can be determined that the filter replacement time has been reached.

6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of an air purifier management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the following description, descriptions of parts overlapping with those of FIGS. 1 to 5 will be omitted.

In step S610, the air purifier management system receives the ADC value of the detection line.

Here, the sensing line may mean a line for measuring resistance values of two metal lines corresponding to the electrode units 123 and 124 . In this embodiment, the dongle device 200 may detect the resistance value of the sensing line, calculate it as an ADC value, and transmit it to the management device 300 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and when the resistance value of the sensing line is collected from the dongle device 200 and transmitted to the management device 300 , the management device 300 may receive it and calculate it as an ADC value.

In step S620, the air purifier management system compares the ADC value of the detection line with a reference value.

In this case, the reference value may be a preset value, and may be changeable according to the setting. For example, the higher the reference value is set, the longer the filter replacement period may be. However, since the filter replacement time may be lengthened by the reference value regardless of the actual lifespan of the filter, the reference value should be set based on the filter lifespan.

In step S630, the air purifier management system determines whether the filter replacement time has arrived based on the comparison result.

In this case, the filter replacement time may be set when the life of the filter has actually expired, or it may be set to a time before the end of the filter life.

In this embodiment, based on the result of comparing the ADC value and the reference value in the dongle device 200 , if the ADC value is greater than or equal to the reference value, it is determined that the filter replacement time has been reached, and it can be transmitted to the management device 300 . Also, according to an embodiment, the management device 300 may determine whether the filter replacement time has arrived by comparing the ADC value with the reference value.

In step S640 , the air purifier management system checks a signal from the humidity sensor 114 when it is determined that the filter replacement time has been reached (Yes in step S630 ).

In this embodiment, the humidity around the air purifier 100 is measured through the humidity sensor 114 , and when the ambient humidity is high, the resistance may be measured to be high. Therefore, even if the resistance value in the detection line of the composite filter unit 120 is measured to be higher than the reference value, it is not determined whether the filter replacement time has been reached immediately, but the filter replacement time after checking the humidity through the humidity sensor 114 . A final decision can be made as to whether or not it has been reached.

In step S650 , the air purifier management system determines that the filter replacement time has arrived, and generates filter replacement data when it is determined as normal as a result of checking according to the signal from the humidity sensor 114 .

In this embodiment, the dongle device 200 collects the humidity detection value from the humidity sensor 114, compares the humidity detection value with a preset threshold value, and when the humidity detection value is less than the threshold value, the humidity is normal. By judging, it is possible to finally determine whether the filter replacement time has been reached. In addition, the dongle device 200 may generate filter replacement data based on the final determination result. However, according to an embodiment, the final determination of whether the filter replacement time has arrived and the generation of filter replacement data may be performed by the management device 300 .

In step S660, the air purifier management system transmits the filter replacement data and outputs an alarm on whether the filter replacement time has been reached.

In this embodiment, the dongle device 200 may transmit filter replacement data to the management device 300 . That is, the management device 300 may receive the filter replacement data from the dongle device 200 and provide a service according to the arrival of the filter replacement time.

In addition, the dongle device 200 may output a filter replacement alarm according to the arrival of the filter replacement time to notify the user, and this filter replacement alarm may be output by the air purifier 100 itself as vibration, lighting, voice, etc., and the user may be output through a user terminal of , or may be transmitted to the management device 300 so that the management device 300 can notify users and managers.

Meanwhile, when the filter replacement is performed according to the arrival of the filter replacement time, in step S670 , the air purifier management system checks a signal from the door sensor 115 .

Then, in step S680 , the air purifier management system detects whether the filter cover 112 is opened according to a signal from the door sensor 115 .

At this time, in step S691, when the air purifier management system detects the opening of the filter cover 112 (Yes in step S680), the current application is controlled to be OFF, and in step S692, the filter cover 112 is When the opening is not detected (NO in step S680 ), that is, when the filter cover 112 is closed, the current application can be continuously turned on and controlled.

More specifically, in the air purifier management system of this embodiment, when the composite filter unit 120 is mounted on the body unit 110 of the air purifier 100 , it is provided on the body unit 110 of the air purifier 110 . By applying a minute current through the electrode units 123 and 124 in contact with the current applying unit 113 , the surface resistance formation of the filter means 122 may be maintained.

This is because the HEPA filter fabric is not contaminated, but under environmental conditions where the surface resistance of the MB (melt blown) fabric is lost (for example, when a person touches the filter, capacitance loss inevitably occurs due to charge transfer), fine dust This is because a structure that forms a minimum surface resistance that traps particles is required.

At this time, in this embodiment, the door sensor 115 is provided on the main body 110 of the air purifier 100 to detect the opening and closing of the filter cover 112, so that current application control is possible when replacing the filter. can make it That is, when the air purifier management system receives the filter cover opening signal from the door sensor 115 , it turns off the application of the fine current, and when it receives the filter cover closing signal from the door sensor 115 , it turns on the application of the fine current. (on) By making it controllable, it is possible to carry out safe filter replacement.

Referring back to FIG. 2 , the sensor unit 150 collectively refers to the plurality of sensors described above, and as a type of sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor (not shown) that senses the carbon dioxide concentration in the room in which the air purifier 100 is provided. ), a dust sensor for sensing the concentration of fine dust in the room provided with the air purifier 100, a temperature sensor (not shown) for detecting the temperature of the room provided with the air purifier 100, and the air purifier 100 It may include a humidity sensor for detecting the humidity of the room provided, and a hall sensor provided in the BLDC motor to detect the position of the external electron.

The motor 160 is the above-described BLCD motor, and may be a motor in which the disadvantages of a general DC motor are improved by implementing the commutator and brush functions of the DC motor through a semiconductor switch. In this embodiment, the BLDC motor may be driven under the control of the controller 190 to rotate the fan. Such a BLDC motor maintains the characteristics of a general DC motor, has a simple structure, and can be operated at high torque and high speed. However, unlike a general DC motor in which the magnetic flux positions of the rotor and stator are kept constant in the BLDC motor, the magnetic flux position of the rotor cannot be known. . Accordingly, the BLDC motor detects the position of the rotor using three Hall sensors, and the position of the rotor is divided into six areas through the output values of the Hall sensors.

The signal detection unit 170 may detect an operating voltage signal and/or an operating current signal of the air purifier 100 . In this embodiment, the signal detection unit 170 may detect the operating current of the BLDC motor.

The memory 180 may be connected to one or more processors to store codes that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to support various functions of the air purifier 100 . That is, the memory 180 may store a plurality of application programs (application programs or applications) driven in the air purifier 100 , information for the operation of the air purifier 100 , and commands. At least some of these application programs may be downloaded from the management device 300 through the network 500 . In addition, the memory 180 may store information about one or more users who want to interact with the air purifier 100 . Such user information may include authorization information (eg, face information and body type information, voice information, etc.) that can be used to identify who the recognized user is. For example, in this embodiment, user information of an air purifier manager and at least one user may be stored, respectively. That is, in the present embodiment, the user may be recognized by the stored user information and a service customized to the user may be provided.

Also, the memory 180 may store work information to be performed by the air purifier 100 in response to a user's voice command (eg, a command for controlling the air purifier 100 ).

The control unit 190 as a kind of central processing unit may control the operation of the air purifier 100 as a whole by driving the control software mounted on the memory 180 . In this embodiment, the controller 190 performs overall control of the air purifier 100 , and in particular, diagnoses the state of the air purifier 100 based on signals from the sensor unit 150 and the signal detection unit 170 . and can manage In particular, the controller 190 may diagnose and manage a filter replacement cycle of the air purifier 100 and a BLDC motor replacement cycle.

Meanwhile, in this embodiment, a processing unit (not shown) may be further included. The processing unit may be provided outside the control unit 190 or may be provided inside the control unit 190 to operate like the control unit 190 . That is, the processing unit may be for overall processing of the air purifier 100 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto and the processing unit may be omitted.

7 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a dongle device included in the air purifier management system of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the following description, descriptions of parts overlapping with those of FIGS. 1 to 6 will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 7 , the dongle device 200 may include an interface unit 210 , a wireless communication unit 220 , a second memory 230 , and a second control unit 240 .

The interface unit 210 is for connecting the air purifier 100 to the management device 300 as a host device, and a USB interface or the like may be used.

The wireless communication unit 220 may serve to connect to a mobile communication network so that the dongle device 200 may perform wireless data communication. The wireless communication unit 220 may receive the filter diagnosis request signal of the air purifier 100 from the management device 300 , the filter state data of the air purifier 100 received through the interface unit 210 , the state data, The self-diagnosis result data, filter replacement code, failure code, etc. may be transmitted to the management device 300 . Here, the mobile communication network may include one of Bluetooth, zigbee, wifi, wifi-direct, and near field communication (NFC).

The second memory 230 may store a self-diagnosis algorithm capable of diagnosing the air purifier 100 and/or the filter of the air purifier 100 . The self-diagnosis algorithm may vary depending on the product type of the air purifier 100 . For example, as well as diagnosing the filter life of the air purifier 100, diagnosing the current of the BLDC motor, the carbon dioxide sensor, the gas sensor, the temperature sensor, the humidity sensor, the BLDC Hall sensor, and the input voltage Algorithms may be included.

In addition, the second memory 230 may store the filter state data obtained from the air purifier 100, and the self-diagnosis result data obtained by executing the self-diagnosis algorithm, for example, the filter life of the air purifier 100 is You can store how much is left and a filter replacement code when the filter has reached its replacement time.

The second controller 240 may control the overall operation of the dongle device 200 . In this embodiment, the second control unit 240 executes the self-diagnosis algorithm stored in the second memory 230 at a preset cycle or in response to the diagnosis request information for the air purifier 100 from the management device 300 . can The second control unit 240 compares the filter state data for the air purifier 100 collected from the air purifier 100 with reference data preset in the manual of the air purifier 100 of the management device 300 to compare the air purifier. (100) It is possible to determine a defective state such as the need to replace the filter. The second control unit 240 may generate a filter replacement code corresponding to the arrival of the filter replacement time of the air purifier 100 and transmit it to the management device 300 .

In this embodiment, the second control unit 240 in response to the firmware update request signal corresponding to the filter replacement code from the management device 300, the management device 300 provides the latest firmware for the air purifier 100 In response, the firmware stored in the air purifier 100 may be updated to the latest firmware through the interface unit 210 . Here, firmware refers to a program that controls hardware stored in a ROM or non-volatile memory. It is the same as software in terms of a program, but is distinguished from general application software in that it has a close relationship with hardware. can be

On the other hand, when a failure code other than the above-described filter replacement code is received, the management device 300 sends the dongle device 200 to the dongle device 200 to request a firmware update of the air purifier 100 only when the failure code is a firmware-related failure code. can be transmitted.

8 is a flowchart illustrating an air purifier self-diagnosis method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the following description, descriptions of parts overlapping with those of FIGS. 1 to 7 will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 8 , in step S810 , the dongle device 200 may collect a dongle signal. Here, collecting the dongle signal may include generating a self-diagnosis signal every preset period (eg, 24 hours). In particular, in this embodiment, collecting the dongle signal may include generating a self-diagnosis signal in response to filter life diagnosis request information for the air purifier 100 from the management device 300 .

In step S820 , the dongle device 200 may execute a self-diagnosis algorithm for diagnosing the air purifier 100 . In particular, in this embodiment, the dongle device 200 may execute a self-diagnosis algorithm for diagnosing the filter life of the air purifier 100 .

In step S830, the dongle device 200 executes a self-diagnosis algorithm for the filter life of the air purifier 100 and/or the air purifier 100 to measure the filter sensor for dust detection of the filter and the surrounding humidity. State data from the humidity sensor (may include state data for diagnosing filter life, and sensing data detected by the humidity sensor may be included in filter state data when collected for diagnosing filter life, and the state of the air purifier itself If it is collected for diagnosis, it may be included in the state data) and may be compared with reference data preset in the manual for diagnosing the life of the air purifier filter collected from the management device 300 . In this case, the dongle device 200 may calculate the sensor value collected from the filter sensor as an ADC value and compare it with reference data, calculate the sensor value collected from the humidity sensor as the ADC value, and compare it with the reference data. The reference data for comparison with the filter sensor (reference value) and the reference data for comparison with the humidity sensor (threshold value) may be set differently.

In step S840 , the dongle device 200 may generate self-diagnosis result data for determining whether the filter replacement time of the air purifier 100 has arrived by using the comparison result. For example, when the sensor value collected from the filter sensor is equal to or greater than the reference value, the dongle device 200 may generate self-diagnosis result data such as 'filter replacement required'. In addition, when the sensor value collected from the humidity sensor is greater than or equal to the threshold value, the dongle device 200 determines that the resistance value is high due to humidity, and when it is less than the threshold value, self-diagnosis result data such as 'filter replacement required' can create Here, when it is determined from the self-diagnosis result data that the air purifier 100 has reached the filter replacement time, the dongle device 200 may generate a filter replacement code corresponding to the arrival of the filter replacement time.

In step S850 , the dongle device 200 stores the self-diagnosis result data for the air purifier 100 in the second memory 230 , and collects the self-diagnosis result data for the air purifier 100 and the air purifier 100 . The collected filter state data may be transmitted to the management device 300 .

9 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a server (management device) included in the air purifier management system of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 10 is the server ( It is a block diagram schematically showing a management device). In the following description, descriptions of parts overlapping with those of FIGS. 1 to 8 will be omitted.

9 and 10 , the management device 300 may include a processor 310 , a third memory 320 , and a database 330 .

When communication through the network 500 is possible, the processor 310 may collect status (API) data from the air purifier 100 to remotely diagnose and monitor the air purifier 100 . In addition, when communication through the network 500 is impossible, the processor 310 may remotely diagnose and monitor the air purifier 100 based on the self-diagnosis result data collected from the dongle device 200 .

When it is determined that the filter replacement time of the air purifier 100 has arrived, the processor 310 may provide one of the first service, the second service, and the third service. The first service may include a service to update the firmware of the air purifier 100 to the latest firmware by transmitting the latest firmware for the air purifier 100 to the air purifier 100 or the dongle device 200 . The second service transmits a filter replacement code and a filter replacement manual corresponding to the filter replacement code to the counselor terminal 400, and allows the counselor to use the air purifier 100 through consultation with a customer equipped with the air purifier 100. It may include a service to perform filter replacement through manipulation. The third service transmits the filter replacement code and the repair manual and necessary material information corresponding to the filter replacement code to the AS technician terminal 400, and allows the AS technician to visit the home of the customer equipped with the air purifier 100, It may include a service to perform filter replacement for the air purifier (100).

The processor 310 may provide a function that enables the customer center and the customer to consult through chatting in connection with the customer IoT device (not shown). The processor 310 may provide a function for allowing a counselor and a customer to consult with each other in connection with an AS management device (not shown). Here, the customer IoT device and/or the AS management device receives the filter replacement code (or fault code) check of the air purifier 100 or the AS reception by the customer, and performs customer consultation and response, and remote control and remote control of the air purifier (100) to diagnose (eg, filter life), instruct an after-sales technician to AS, check the AS processing history, handle repair costs, manage parts inventory, perform customer satisfaction surveys, and evaluate the work of the after-sales technicians. can

The processor 310 may provide a function of automatically ordering materials or parts according to the filter replacement code or required materials or parts for each fault code in connection with the material management device (not shown). The processor 310 may provide a function to monitor all data collected from the air purifier 100 and/or the dongle device 200 in connection with the home appliance business unit (not shown) and to manage the AS manual. Here, the home appliance division can monitor all tasks of the receptionist and handler, grant authority to the receptionist and handler, and conduct manual management and training.

The processor 310 may provide a function for an AS engineer to manage customer information, air purifier 100 information, and AS history in connection with an AS processing device (not shown). Here, the AS technician's terminal can input AS processing results, check the AS manual, confirm and secure materials required for AS, transmit repair details to the database, and inquire and order parts inventory.

The processor 310 is a function to share with other devices the database linkage of the AS terminal in connection with the AS manual device (not shown), the manual according to the filter replacement code, the repair manual for each fault code, the necessary parts manual for each fault code, etc. can provide

The processor 310 may communicate with the user in connection with a chatbot system to perform a specific task through conversation with the customer through voice or text, and may provide a service desired by the user.

In this embodiment, the processor 310 may generate various information using data collected from the air purifier 100 and/or the dongle device 200 . For example, the processor 310 receives air quality data for each customer location and data on the performance of the air purifier 100 (performance at the time of release of the product itself or current performance according to use) as input to the inside and outside of the air purifier 100 . Based on the machine learning-based first learning model trained to extract the degree of pollution, it is possible to determine the degree of pollution inside and outside the air purifier 100 . At this time, air quality data for each customer location can be collected using API (Application Programming Interface) data of public data open sites, which is a communication technology that is predetermined so that other programs can access data of a specific program. It refers to the creation of new and diverse services by opening the platform to the outside and external program developers and users using it. The public data open site may refer to a website that manages and provides air quality information across the country.

In addition, the processor 310 receives, as an input, air quality data for each customer location, data on the performance of the air purifier 100, and pollution degree data inside and outside the air purifier 100 output through the above-described first learning model, and the corresponding air purifier ( 100), based on the machine learning-based second learning model trained to extract the type of filter required for each customer, it is possible to select the type of filter required for the air purifier 100 for each customer.

In particular, in this embodiment, the processor 310 receives the usage time of the air purifier 100 , the sensing data of the filter sensor, the ambient air quality data, and the user air purifier usage data as inputs, and the filter life estimation value of the air purifier 100 . Based on the machine learning-based third learning model trained to extract , it is possible to estimate the lifespan of the filter of the air purifier 100 and determine the replacement time. In this case, when a plurality of filters are included in the air purifier 100 , the replacement time for each filter may be estimated. That is, the processor 310 may perform machine learning, such as deep learning, and the third memory 320 may store data used for machine learning, result data, and the like.

The third memory 320 is connected to the processor 310 so that, when executed by the processor 310 , the processor 310 supports various functions of the air purifier 100 and/or the dongle device 200 . You can store the codes that cause them.

The database 330 may include a first database 331 and a second database 332 . The first database 331 may include information on materials or parts required when a defect occurs, such as a situation in which the filter replacement of the air purifier 100 is required. For example, in the first database 331 , filter information required when the air purifier 100 fails may be stored.

The second database 332 may be a user database that stores information of a user who is to be provided with an air purifier management service. Here, the user's information includes basic information about the user, such as the user's name, affiliation, personal information, gender, age, contact information, e-mail, address, and image, and the user's name, such as ID (or e-mail) and password. It may include information about authentication (login), access country, access location, information about a device used for access, and information related to access, such as a connected network environment.

In addition, the second database 332 includes the user's unique information, information and/or category history provided by a user accessing the air purifier management application or air purifier management site, environment setting information set by the user, and resource usage used by the user. Information, billing and payment information corresponding to the resource usage of the user may be stored.

11 is a flowchart illustrating a method for managing an air purifier by a server (management device) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the following description, descriptions of parts overlapping with those of FIGS. 1 to 10 will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 11 , in step S1110 , the management device 300 may collect filter state data and/or diagnosis result data from the air purifier 100 and/or the dongle device 200 . In an optional embodiment, the management device 300 may collect public data and portal API data from the outside. Here, the public data and the portal API data may include atmospheric information and weather information of the area where the air purifier 100 is located.

In step S1120 , the management device 300 determines whether there is a need to replace the filter of the air purifier 100 by using the collected data, and when a failure of the air purifier 100 occurs, the first service, the second service and You can select and process one of the third services.

In step S1130 , the management device 300 may select a customer-customized material using the first database 331 . For example, a customer-customized filter may be selected based on an average atmospheric condition in a location where the user is located or the degree of air cleanliness required by the user.

In step S1140 , the management device 300 may collect customer information using the second database 332 , and perform AS processing for the air purifier 100 . Here, the AS processing may include one or more of the above-described first to third services.

The embodiment according to the present invention described above may be implemented in the form of a computer program that can be executed through various components on a computer, and such a computer program may be recorded in a computer-readable medium. In this case, the medium includes a hard disk, a magnetic medium such as a floppy disk and a magnetic tape, an optical recording medium such as CD-ROM and DVD, a magneto-optical medium such as a floppy disk, and a ROM. , RAM, flash memory, and the like, hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions.

Meanwhile, the computer program may be specially designed and configured for the present invention, or may be known and used by those skilled in the computer software field. Examples of the computer program may include not only machine language codes such as those generated by a compiler, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like.

In the specification of the present invention (especially in the claims), the use of the term "above" and similar referential terms may be used in both the singular and the plural. In addition, when a range is described in the present invention, each individual value constituting the range is described in the detailed description of the invention as including the invention to which individual values belonging to the range are applied (unless there is a description to the contrary). same as

The steps constituting the method according to the present invention may be performed in an appropriate order, unless there is an explicit order or description to the contrary. The present invention is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps are described. The use of all examples or exemplary terms (eg, etc.) in the present invention is merely for the purpose of describing the present invention in detail, and unless defined by the claims, the scope of the present invention is limited by the examples or exemplary terminology. it's not going to be In addition, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, combinations, and changes may be made in accordance with design conditions and factors within the scope of the appended claims or their equivalents.

Therefore, the spirit of the present invention should not be limited to the above-described embodiments, and the scope of the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the scope of the scope of the present invention. will be said to belong to

Claims (20)

1. As a management system for self-diagnosis of an air purifier equipped with a complex filter,

   It is configured to include a filter means for filtering foreign substances contained in the air introduced into the air purifier, and a deodorizing means comprising a disk-shaped upper cap and a lower cap coupled to upper and lower portions of the filter means, and the air a complex filter unit configured to be mounted on a purifier;

   a filter sensor for detecting the state of the composite filter unit; and

   Based on the filter state detection signal received from the filter sensor comprising a control unit for determining whether the filter replacement time of the composite filter unit has arrived,

   Composite filter equipped air purifier management system.
2. The method of claim 1,

   The filter means,

   It is a cylindrical structure for air filtration, and is composed of a folded structure in which mountains and valleys are repeatedly formed.

   Composite filter equipped air purifier management system.
3. The method of claim 1,

   The deodorization means,

   The upper cap and the lower cap are formed in a structure symmetrical to each other,

   Composite filter equipped air purifier management system.
4. The method of claim 1,

   The deodorization means,

   Consisting of solidified activated carbon,

   Composite filter equipped air purifier management system.
5. The method of claim 1,

   The deodorization means,

   Corresponding to the hole size of the filter means, formed in a hole structure smaller than the size of at least one of PM 1.0, PM 2.5 and PM 10.0,

   Composite filter equipped air purifier management system.
6. The method of claim 1,

   The composite filter unit,

   The filter means and the deodorizing means are heat-sealed and fixed so that they are in close contact with each other,

   Composite filter equipped air purifier management system.
7. The method of claim 1,

   The deodorization means,

   Formed in a hole structure that allows ventilation due to the flow path structure,

   Composite filter equipped air purifier management system.
8. The method of claim 1,

   The composite filter unit is configured to further include an electrode unit provided so that a current is applied to the filter unit, and at least two or more metal wires connected to the electrode unit and installed in the longitudinal direction of the filter unit,

   The filter sensor detects the resistance value of the filter means through the two or more installed metal wires,

   The control unit is

   Comparing the resistance value of the filter means received from the filter sensor with a reference value, and determining whether the filter replacement time of the composite filter unit has arrived based on the comparison result,

   Composite filter equipped air purifier management system.
9. 9. The method of claim 8,

   The control unit is

   The humidity value is checked through the humidity sensor provided in the main body of the air purifier, the humidity value and the threshold value are compared, and the filter replacement time of the composite filter unit is finally determined according to the comparison result, and the filter is sent to the server. sending status data;

   Composite filter equipped air purifier management system.
10. 9. The method of claim 8,

    The control unit is

    When the composite filter unit is mounted on the main body of the air purifier, a fine current is applied through the electrode unit in contact with the current applying unit provided on the main body of the air purifier to maintain the surface resistance of the filter unit,

    Composite filter equipped air purifier management system.
11. 9. The method of claim 8,

    The air purifier body is provided with a filter cover and a door sensor for detecting the opening and closing of the filter cover,

    The control unit is

    When receiving the filter cover opening signal from the door sensor, the application of the fine current is turned off, and upon receiving the filter cover closing signal from the door sensor, the application of the fine current is turned on and controlled,

    Composite filter equipped air purifier management system.
12. A composite filter unit comprising a filter means for filtering foreign substances contained in the air introduced into the air purifier, and a deodorizing means comprising a disk-shaped upper cap and a lower cap coupled to the upper and lower portions of the filter means are mounted As an operation method of a management system for self-diagnosing an air purifier that has been

    receiving a filter state detection signal from a filter sensor that detects the state of the complex filter unit;

    determining whether a filter replacement time of the composite filter unit has arrived based on the filter state detection signal; and

    Comprising the step of transmitting a filter replacement code corresponding to the arrival of the filter replacement time to the server,

    How an air purifier management system with a complex filter works.
13. 13. The method of claim 12,

    The composite filter unit is configured to further include an electrode unit provided so that a current is applied to the filter unit, and at least two or more metal wires connected to the electrode unit and installed in the longitudinal direction of the filter unit,

    The filter sensor detects the resistance value of the filter means through the two or more installed metal wires,

    The step of determining whether the filter replacement time of the composite filter unit has arrived,

    receiving a resistance value of the filter means from the filter sensor;

    comparing the resistance value of the filter means with a reference value; and

    Comprising the step of determining whether the filter replacement time of the composite filter unit has arrived based on the comparison result,

    How an air purifier management system with a complex filter works.
14. 14. The method of claim 13,

    The step of determining whether the filter replacement time of the composite filter unit has arrived,

    checking a humidity value through a humidity sensor provided in the main body of the air purifier; and

    Comparing the humidity value with a threshold value,

    The step of transmitting to the server is,

    Comprising the step of finally determining whether the replacement time of the composite filter unit has arrived according to the comparison result of the humidity value and the threshold value and transmitting the filter state data to the server,

    How an air purifier management system with a complex filter works.
15. 14. The method of claim 13,

    When the composite filter unit is mounted on the main body of the air purifier, the complex filter-equipped air purifier management system applies a micro current through the electrode unit in contact with the current applying unit provided on the main body of the air purifier to apply a fine current to the filter. configured such that the surface resistance formation of the means is maintained,

    The air purifier body is provided with a filter cover and a door sensor for detecting opening and closing of the filter cover,

    When receiving the filter cover opening signal from the door sensor, turning off the application of the fine current, when receiving the filter cover closing signal from the door sensor, further comprising the step of on-controlling the application of the fine current,

    How an air purifier management system with a complex filter works.
16. 13. The method of claim 12,

    When the composite filter unit determines that the filter replacement time has arrived, outputting a filter replacement alarm through at least one of a user terminal and the air purifier further comprising:

    How an air purifier management system with a complex filter works.
17. 13. The method of claim 12,

    In response to a firmware update request signal corresponding to the filter replacement code, receiving the latest firmware for the air purifier provided by the server, and updating the firmware installed in the air purifier to the latest firmware. containing,

    How an air purifier management system with a complex filter works.
18. 13. The method of claim 12,

    receiving a model number from the air purifier; and

    Further comprising the step of performing a self-diagnosis for determining whether a filter replacement time has arrived based on a self-diagnosis algorithm for the filter life of the air purifier and reference data for the air purifier according to the model number,

    The self-diagnosis algorithm is configured to compare the filter state data with the reference data to determine whether the filter replacement time of the air purifier has arrived and a filter replacement code corresponding to the arrival of the filter replacement time,

    How an air purifier management system with a complex filter works.
19. 13. The method of claim 12,

    In response to transmitting a filter replacement code corresponding to the arrival of the filter replacement time to the server, the method further comprising: receiving one of a first service, a second service and a third service from the server;

    The first service is

    A service for receiving the latest firmware for the air purifier and updating the firmware of the air purifier to the latest firmware,

    The second service is

    A service that transmits the filter replacement code and a repair manual corresponding to the filter replacement code to the counselor's terminal, and allows the counselor to perform the filter replacement through operation of the air purifier through consultation with a customer equipped with the air purifier including,

    The third service is

    Transmits the filter replacement code, filter replacement manual and necessary material information corresponding to the filter replacement code to the AS technician terminal, and allows the AS technician to visit the customer's home equipped with the air purifier and replace the filter for the air purifier including services to perform

    How an air purifier management system with a complex filter works.
20. 20. The method of claim 19,

    With the provision of the third service, the material management device orders a material capable of performing filter replacement of the air purifier in response to the filter replacement code, and the AS technician visits the customer's home with the material further comprising the step of inducing

    How an air purifier management system with a complex filter works.

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