Air conditioner and control method thereof

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of air conditioners, and specifically provides an air conditioner and a control method thereof. The air conditioner comprises an aldehyde removal module. The control method comprises the following steps: obtaining cumulative running time of the air conditioner at each running gear; calculating equivalent time length of each cumulative running time according to a correction coefficient; summing all the equivalent time lengths to obtain a consumed service life of the aldehyde removal module; and determining a remaining service time length of the aldehyde removal module according to a set service life of the aldehyde removal module and the consumed service life. The application can calculate the remaining service life of the aldehyde removal module according to different running gears of the air conditioner, and improve the accuracy of the judgment of the remaining service life of the aldehyde removal module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of air conditioning technology, and specifically provides an air conditioner and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] As people's living standards improve, their requirements for air quality in the environment are also gradually increasing. In order to improve indoor air quality, air purification modules are usually added to air conditioners to filter, purify, and sterilize indoor air.

[0003] As the air conditioner's purification module is used for an extended period, its purification capacity gradually weakens, resulting in inadequate indoor air purification and deteriorating air quality. Continuing to use the purification module at this point can easily lead to secondary pollution, significantly reducing indoor air quality. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an air conditioner that can solve these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner with a formaldehyde removal module that overcomes or at least partially solves the above-mentioned problems, and a method for determining the usage status of the formaldehyde removal module.

[0005] A further objective of this invention is to provide reminders regarding the use of the formaldehyde removal module within the air conditioner, in order to prevent secondary pollution of indoor air.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a control method for an air conditioner, the air conditioner including a formaldehyde removal module; the control method includes:

[0007] Obtain the cumulative operating time of the air conditioner at each operating level;

[0008] The equivalent duration of each of the cumulative running times is calculated based on the correction factor;

[0009] Sum all the equivalent durations to obtain the worn-out lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module;

[0010] The remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module is determined based on its set service life and its already depleted service life.

[0011] Furthermore, the correction coefficient includes a gear coefficient k, and the calculation of the equivalent duration of each cumulative running time based on the correction coefficient includes: t*k, where t is the cumulative running time corresponding to each running gear.

[0012] Furthermore, when the operating gear is the high wind operating gear, the gear coefficient k is denoted as k1, k1 = 1; when the operating gear is the medium wind operating gear, the gear coefficient k is denoted as k2, k2 = 2 / 3; when the operating gear is the low wind operating gear, the gear coefficient k is denoted as k3, k3 = 1 / 2.

[0013] Further, determining the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module based on its set service life and its already depleted service life includes:

[0014] t i =t0-(t1*k1+t2*k2+t3*k3)

[0015] Among them, t i t0 represents the remaining usage time, t1 represents the set service life of the formaldehyde removal module, t2 represents the operating time of the high fan speed setting, t3 represents the operating time of the medium fan speed setting, and t4 represents the operating time of the low fan speed setting.

[0016] Furthermore, the correction coefficient also includes a formaldehyde release rate coefficient j; the calculation of the equivalent duration of each cumulative running time based on the correction coefficient includes: t*k*j.

[0017] Furthermore, when the operating mode is high, the formaldehyde release rate coefficient j is denoted as j1; when the operating mode is medium, the formaldehyde release rate coefficient j is denoted as j2; and when the operating mode is low, the formaldehyde release rate coefficient j is denoted as j3.

[0018] The determination of the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module based on its set service life and its depleted service life includes: t i =t0-(t1*k1*j1+t2*k2*j2+t3*k3*j3).

[0019] Furthermore, the formaldehyde release rate coefficient j is obtained by the following formula: j = T / T0, where T is the current ambient temperature of the environment where the air conditioner is located, and T0 is the reference temperature.

[0020] Furthermore, the control method also includes: determining whether the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module is lower than a preset time;

[0021] If the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module is less than the preset time, a reminder message will be issued to remind the user to replace the formaldehyde removal module.

[0022] Optionally, the reminder information is a flashing light emitted by an RGB lamp; and / or, the reminder information is text or image information; and / or, the reminder information is sound information.

[0023] Furthermore, an air conditioner includes a formaldehyde removal module and a controller, the controller being capable of enabling the air conditioner to perform any of the control methods described above.

[0024] Based on the foregoing description, those skilled in the art will understand that in the aforementioned technical solution of this invention, by obtaining the cumulative operating time of the air conditioner at each operating setting, calculating the equivalent duration of each cumulative operating time according to a correction coefficient, and summing all equivalent durations, the depleted lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module inside the air conditioner is obtained. Then, the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module is determined based on its set lifespan and depleted lifespan. This invention can determine the remaining lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module according to different operating settings of the air conditioner, improving the accuracy of determining the remaining lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module.

[0025] Furthermore, by determining whether the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module is lower than a preset time, if the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module is lower than the preset time, a reminder message is issued to remind the user to replace the formaldehyde removal module. This invention effectively reflects the usage status of the formaldehyde removal module by judging its usage and generating reminder messages. Users can promptly replace the module according to the reminder messages from the air conditioner, effectively avoiding the problem of poor indoor air quality caused by the formaldehyde removal module's weakened purification capacity due to prolonged use. It further effectively avoids the problem of secondary indoor air pollution caused by continued use of the formaldehyde removal module when its purification capacity is weak. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, some embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that the same reference numerals may indicate the same or similar parts or components in different drawings; the drawings of the present invention are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0027] In the attached image:

[0028] Figure 1 These are exploded structural diagrams of the air conditioner in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 These are schematic diagrams of the air conditioner structure in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Cross-sectional view along the AA direction;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a functional block diagram of an air conditioner in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a control method for determining the remaining usage time of an air conditioner's formaldehyde removal module in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a control method for correcting the equivalent duration in an air conditioner in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of a control method for determining information prompts in an air conditioner, as described in some embodiments of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0035] Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments described below are merely a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments of the present invention. These partial embodiments are intended to explain the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Based on the embodiments provided by the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should still fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "top," "bottom," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," which indicate direction or positional relationships, are based on the direction or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are used merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0037] It should be noted beforehand that, for ease of description and to enable those skilled in the art to quickly understand the technical solution of this invention, the following description only focuses on technical features that are strongly related (directly or indirectly related) to the technical problem and / or concept to be solved by this invention. Technical features that are less related to the technical problem and / or concept to be solved by this invention will not be described in detail. Since such less related technical features are common knowledge in the field, the omission of such less related features will not result in insufficient disclosure of this invention.

[0038] This embodiment first provides an air conditioner 1 with a formaldehyde removal module 12. The formaldehyde removal module 12 in the air conditioner 1 can adsorb odors and particulate matter in indoor air. In this embodiment, the formaldehyde removal module 12 does not require electricity. As soon as the air conditioner 1 starts running, the formaldehyde removal module 12 begins to adsorb odors and particulate matter present in the indoor air. Specifically, the formaldehyde removal module 12 is detachably installed at a purification position on one side of the air inlet of the air conditioner 1 (which can be a position where the air inlet is completely covered by the inside of the air inlet grille 11). After the air conditioner 1 is turned on, indoor air first enters the air conditioner 1 through the air inlet grille 11 and is purified by the formaldehyde removal module 12. Heat exchange occurs inside the air conditioner 1 to achieve the purification effect of indoor air.

[0039] The odors mentioned in this invention can be formaldehyde, ammonia, O3, benzene, toluene, xylene, or TVOC (Total Volatile Organic Compounds, specifically referring to various measurable indoor organic gaseous substances). The particulate matter mentioned in this invention can be PM2.5, dust, or other impurities. In this embodiment, formaldehyde is used as an example of the adsorbent for the formaldehyde removal module 12.

[0040] The following reference Figures 1 to 3 The structure of the air conditioner 1 in some embodiments of the present invention will be described below. Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the structure of air conditioner 1 in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 These are schematic diagrams of the structure of air conditioner 1 in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Cross-sectional view along the AA direction.

[0041] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the air conditioner 1 in this embodiment generally includes an air inlet grille 11, a formaldehyde removal module 12, a heat exchange assembly 13, a fan assembly 14, and an air outlet 15. The air inlet grille 11 has an air inlet, and the formaldehyde removal module 12 is located between the air inlet grille 11 and the heat exchange assembly 13. The formaldehyde removal module 12 is used to purify the air introduced into the air conditioner 1. Indoor air enters the air conditioner 1 through the air inlet grille 11, is purified by the formaldehyde removal module 12, undergoes heat exchange by the heat exchange assembly 13, and then passes through the fan assembly 14. The purified air is then blown out from the air outlet, thereby achieving indoor air purification. The airflow direction is: air inlet grille 11 → formaldehyde removal module 12 → heat exchange assembly 13 → fan assembly 14 → air outlet 15.

[0042] In this embodiment, the formaldehyde removal module 12 can be an electrostatic adsorption module, a plasma purification module, a negative ion generating module, a ceramic activated carbon module, or a pleated extended filter surface module.

[0043] Although not shown in the figure, those skilled in the art will understand that the formaldehyde removal module 12 can completely cover the air inlet on the air inlet grille 11, and the formaldehyde removal module 12 can be fixed together with the air inlet grille 11 by a snap-fit ​​structure so that the user can install or remove the formaldehyde removal module 12.

[0044] In this embodiment, the formaldehyde removal module 12 can be configured as a mesh structure.

[0045] In some embodiments of the present invention, a dust filter (not shown in the figure) may be provided between the air inlet grille 11 and the formaldehyde removal module 12. The dust filter can be reused multiple times, and the user can disassemble, clean / replace the dust filter, which improves the purification effect of the air conditioner 1 and also extends the service life of the formaldehyde removal module 12, thereby reducing the operating cost of the air conditioner 1 to a certain extent.

[0046] Because the formaldehyde removal module 12 in this embodiment experiences a decrease in its purification function during the adsorption of odors and particulate matter in indoor air, users need to replace it after a period of use to improve the purification effect of the air conditioner 1. In this embodiment, the lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is related to the various operating settings of the air conditioner 1 and the ambient temperature during operation. Therefore, in this embodiment, the air conditioner 1 needs to calculate the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12 based on the operating time of the various operating settings and the ambient temperature during operation, and provide corresponding prompts.

[0047] Figure 4 This is a functional block diagram of air conditioner 1 in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0048] like Figure 4 As shown, the air conditioner 1 also includes an information acquisition module 16, which includes at least a timing device 161, an indoor temperature detection device 162, and a reminder device 163. The timing device 161 accumulates the operating time of the air conditioner 1 at each operating level. The control method involves calculating and confirming the depleted lifespan of the air conditioner 1 based on the accumulated operating time at each operating level and the level coefficient. The indoor temperature detection device 162 detects the current ambient temperature of the environment in which the air conditioner 1 is located at each operating level. The control method involves correcting the depleted lifespan based on the current ambient temperature during the operation of the air conditioner 1. The reminder device 163 generates a reminder message to remind the user to replace the formaldehyde removal module 12. The judgment condition is whether the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is less than a preset time. If the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is less than the preset time, the reminder device 163 generates a reminder message.

[0049] The timing device 161 is configured to record the operating time parameters of the air conditioner 1 at each operating level. The operating level of the air conditioner 1 is determined based on the start time of operation, and the operating time of the air conditioner 1 within that operating level is accumulated to calculate the remaining lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module 12 based on the operating time corresponding to the operating level. The specific method for calculating the remaining lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module 12 will be explained in detail later when discussing the remaining lifespan indication method for the air conditioner 1 with the formaldehyde removal module 12 in this embodiment.

[0050] The indoor temperature detection device 162 is configured to detect the current ambient temperature of the environment in which the air conditioner 1 is located at each operating level. In this embodiment, the lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is related to the temperature of the environment in which the air conditioner 1 is located. Specifically, the higher the ambient temperature of the air conditioner 1, the higher the formaldehyde removal efficiency of the formaldehyde removal module 12, but the greater the wear and tear on the formaldehyde removal module 12. Therefore, the depleted lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module 12 calculated based on the operating time at each operating level in this embodiment needs to be corrected by the temperature of the environment in which the air conditioner 1 is located, in order to improve the accuracy of determining the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12.

[0051] The reminder device 163 is configured to output a reminder signal to remind the user to replace the formaldehyde removal module 12 based on the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12. It determines whether the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is lower than a preset time; if the remaining usage time is lower than the preset time, the reminder device 163 issues a reminder signal. The reminder device 163 can output the reminder information in the following ways:

[0052] Method 1: Use the display screen on the air conditioner 1 to display reminder information. The display area on the screen will show text or images to remind the user to replace the formaldehyde removal module 12.

[0053] Method 2: Use the speaker on the air conditioner 1 to output a voice reminder message to remind the user to replace the formaldehyde removal module 12.

[0054] Method 3: Install indicator lights at corresponding locations on the air conditioner 1. The flashing light of these indicator lights will remind the user to replace the formaldehyde removal module 12. These indicator lights can be RGB lights, flashing different colors to indicate whether the formaldehyde removal module 12 is functioning normally or needs replacement. For example, a flashing green light indicates that the formaldehyde removal module 12 is functioning normally; a flashing red light indicates that the formaldehyde removal module 12 needs replacement. Alternatively, the indicator lights can be LED lights. When the formaldehyde removal module 12 needs replacement, the LED light will remain constantly lit to remind the user to replace it.

[0055] Method 4: A communication module can be added to the air conditioner 1. The replacement reminder information of the formaldehyde removal module 12 can be transmitted to the user's mobile phone through the communication module to remind the user to replace it.

[0056] Of course, the reminder method of the reminder device 163 in the embodiments of the present invention is not limited to the four methods mentioned above. Those skilled in the art can also choose other suitable reminder methods to remind users to replace the formaldehyde removal module 12 as needed, which will not be elaborated here.

[0057] The following description, in conjunction with the lifespan reminder method for the air conditioner 1 with the formaldehyde removal module 12 in this embodiment, further explains the calculation of the lifespan of the air conditioner 1 in the above embodiment. The lifespan reminder method for the air conditioner 1 with the formaldehyde removal module 12 in this embodiment can be executed by the timing device 161, the indoor temperature detection device 162, and the reminder device 163 described above. By comprehensively considering the operating time of the air conditioner 1 at different operating levels and the current ambient temperature of the environment in which the air conditioner 1 is located at each operating level, a timely reminder message to replace the formaldehyde removal module 12 is output, thereby preventing the formaldehyde removal module 12 from failing as its usage time increases. The following refers to... Figures 5 to 7 The control method for air conditioner 1 is explained below:

[0058] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a control method for determining the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12 in an air conditioner 1 according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a control method for correcting the equivalent duration in air conditioner 1 in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a flowchart of a control method for determining information prompts in air conditioner 1 in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0059] like Figure 5 As shown, the method for calculating the service life of the air conditioner 1 generally includes:

[0060] Step S110: Obtain the cumulative running time of air conditioner 1 at each operating level.

[0061] The air conditioner 1 in this embodiment has three operating modes, but is not limited to the three operating modes described in this embodiment. Those skilled in the art can set the operating modes of the air conditioner 1 to two, four, five, six, seven, or eight, etc., as needed, and these modes are applicable to any of the control methods of the air conditioner 1 in this embodiment. More specifically, the three operating modes are high fan speed, medium fan speed, and low fan speed.

[0062] The degree of wear and tear on the formaldehyde removal module 12 varies depending on the operating setting of the air conditioner 1. Specifically, under the same operating time, the formaldehyde removal module 12 exhibits the best formaldehyde removal effect and the greatest wear and tear when the air conditioner 1 operates at the high fan speed setting; the wear and tear is moderate when the air conditioner 1 operates at the medium fan speed setting; and the wear and tear is minimal when the air conditioner 1 operates at the low fan speed setting. Therefore, the operating time at each setting is accumulated to accurately calculate the worn-out lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module 12.

[0063] Step S120: Calculate the equivalent duration of each cumulative running time based on the correction factor.

[0064] The correction factor includes the gear ratio coefficient. Since the degree of wear and tear on the formaldehyde removal module 12 varies depending on the gear ratio, the equivalent duration of the cumulative operating time for each gear ratio can be calculated based on the gear ratio coefficient. The formula for calculating the equivalent duration is:

[0065] t*k, where t is the cumulative running time corresponding to each gear and k is the gear coefficient.

[0066] When the operating gear is the high wind operating gear, the gear coefficient k is denoted as k1, k1=1;

[0067] When the operating gear is the medium-speed operating gear, the gear coefficient k is denoted as k2, and k2 = 2 / 3;

[0068] When the operating gear is the low wind speed operating gear, the gear coefficient k is denoted as k3, k3 = 1 / 2.

[0069] Step S130: Sum all equivalent durations to obtain the worn-out lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module 12.

[0070] The formula for calculating the worn-out lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is as follows:

[0071] t1*k1+t2*k2+t3*k3,

[0072] Where t1 is the operating time at high wind speed, t2 is the operating time at medium wind speed, and t3 is the operating time at low wind speed.

[0073] Step S140: Determine the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12 based on its set service life and the depleted service life.

[0074] The set service life value of the formaldehyde removal module 12 can be obtained from the nameplate or instruction manual of the formaldehyde removal module 12, or can be obtained by any feasible method.

[0075] In other embodiments of the present invention, the set service life can be obtained by: real-time detection of the formaldehyde removal rate of the formaldehyde removal module 12 (detecting the formaldehyde value before and after the air flows through it) when the formaldehyde removal rate of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is less than 10%, indicating that the service life has been reached. The time taken for this process is the set service life.

[0076] In some other embodiments of the present invention, the set service life can also be obtained by calculating the set service life t0 of the formaldehyde removal module 12 according to the following formula based on the maximum service life x of the high wind speed / medium wind speed / low wind speed, the maximum number of days of use per year y, and the maximum use time per day z:

[0077] t0 = x * y * z,

[0078] Among them, the values ​​of the longest service life x, the maximum number of days of use per year y, and the maximum daily use duration z of air conditioner 1 when operating at different speeds can be set to the values ​​shown in Table 1:

[0079] Table 1 shows the specific values ​​for the maximum service life, maximum number of days of use per year, and maximum daily usage time for each operating setting of air conditioner 1.

[0080]

[0081] Furthermore, based on the set service life t0 and the already depleted service life of the formaldehyde removal module 12, the remaining service time t of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is calculated according to the following formula. i :

[0082] t i = t0 - (t1*k1 + t2*k2 + t3*k3).

[0083] In some other embodiments of the present invention, the correction coefficient also includes a formaldehyde release rate coefficient, which is used to correct the equivalent duration of the formaldehyde removal module 12 by obtaining the formaldehyde release rate coefficient of the formaldehyde removal module 12.

[0084] like Figure 6 As shown, step S120 further includes:

[0085] Step S121: Obtain the current ambient temperature of the environment in which the air conditioner 1 is located at each operating level.

[0086] Because the ambient temperature varies around the air conditioner 1, the air purification efficiency of the formaldehyde removal module 12 differs, resulting in varying degrees of wear and tear on the module under different temperature conditions. Specifically, when the air conditioner 1 is in a relatively high-temperature environment, the air purification efficiency of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is higher, but the overall wear and tear on the module is also relatively greater; conversely, when the air conditioner 1 is in a relatively low-temperature environment, the air purification efficiency of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is relatively lower, but the overall wear and tear on the module is relatively smaller. Therefore, by obtaining the ambient temperature of the air conditioner 1 at different settings, the equivalent duration of the formaldehyde removal module 12 can be corrected, eliminating the influence of ambient temperature on the lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module 12, improving the accuracy of the equivalent duration data for each setting, and thus improving the accuracy of determining the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12.

[0087] Step S122: Calculate the formaldehyde release rate coefficient for each operating position based on the current ambient temperature and the reference temperature for each operating position.

[0088] The current ambient temperature refers to the ambient temperature where the air conditioner 1 is located under each operating setting. Specifically, when the air conditioner 1 is detected to start running at a certain operating setting, the indoor temperature detection device 162 detects the ambient temperature of the indoor environment where the air conditioner 1 is located at regular intervals, calculates the average value of all ambient temperatures obtained under that operating setting, and obtains the average value of multiple ambient temperatures to obtain the current ambient temperature under each operating setting. Then, the formaldehyde release rate is calculated based on the current ambient temperature under each operating setting and the reference temperature.

[0089] The reference temperature can be set to the temperature that is most comfortable for the user, and can be any temperature value between 18℃ and 25℃. Specifically, the reference temperature can be set to 18℃, 18.5℃, 19℃, 19.5℃, 20℃, 20.5℃, 21℃, 21.5℃, 22℃, 22.5℃, 23℃, 23.5℃, 24℃, 24.5℃, 25℃, etc. In some more specific embodiments, the reference temperature is set to 21.5℃.

[0090] The formaldehyde release rate coefficient j can be obtained by the following formula:

[0091] j = T / T0,

[0092] Where T is the current ambient temperature of the environment where air conditioner 1 is located, and T0 is the reference temperature.

[0093] Step S123: Correct the equivalent duration of each operating gear according to the formaldehyde release rate coefficient of each operating gear to obtain the corrected equivalent duration of each cumulative operating time.

[0094] The equivalent duration can be obtained by correcting it using the following formula:

[0095] t*k*j.

[0096] Furthermore, when the operating mode is high-speed, the formaldehyde release rate coefficient j is denoted as j1;

[0097] When the operating mode is medium speed, the formaldehyde release rate coefficient j is denoted as j2;

[0098] When the operating mode is low fan speed, the formaldehyde release rate coefficient j is denoted as j3.

[0099] Based on the set service life and the already depleted service life of the formaldehyde removal module 12, the remaining service life of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is calculated using the following formula:

[0100] t i =t0-(t1*k1*j1+t2*k2*j2+t3*k3*j3).

[0101] like Figure 7 As shown, in other embodiments of the present invention, the control method after step S124 further includes:

[0102] Step S210: Determine whether the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is lower than the preset time.

[0103] The preset duration can be set to any value between 5% and 10% of the set service life of any one of the operating modes: high fan speed, medium fan speed, and low fan speed. Preferably, in this embodiment, 10% of the set service life of the high fan speed mode is used as the preset duration. That is, when the remaining service life of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is less than 10% of the set service life of the high fan speed mode, the reminder device 163 generates a reminder message to remind the user to replace the formaldehyde removal module 12.

[0104] Step S220: If the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is less than the preset time, a reminder message is issued to remind the user to replace the formaldehyde removal module 12.

[0105] The reminder information can be any one of the following: flashing light emitted by RGB lights, text, image information, and sound information, or a combination of multiple reminder information.

[0106] Step S230: If the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is not less than the preset time, then proceed to step S110.

[0107] In this embodiment, the control method for the air conditioner 1 involves using a timing device 161 to detect the cumulative operating time of each operating level. The equivalent duration is calculated by combining the cumulative operating time of each operating level with the corresponding level coefficient. Then, the ambient temperature of the air conditioner 1 at each operating level is detected by an indoor temperature detection device 162. The equivalent duration is corrected based on the ambient temperature and a reference temperature at each operating level. Multiple equivalent durations are then summed to obtain the consumed time of the formaldehyde removal module 12. The remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is calculated based on its set service life and the consumed time. This remaining usage time is compared to a preset time. If the remaining usage time is lower than the preset time, a reminder message is generated by a reminder device 163 to assess the usage status of the formaldehyde removal module 12 and to provide a reminder.

[0108] like Figure 4 As shown, the air conditioner 1 in this embodiment also includes a controller 17. The controller 17 can be implemented using an industrial computer, an embedded controller 17, or other electronic control systems with certain network transmission capabilities and data storage and processing capabilities. The controller 17 may include a memory 171 and a processor 172. The memory 171 stores a computer program, which, when executed by the processor 172, can perform any of the control methods in this embodiment to complete functions such as switching the operating mode of the air conditioner 1, data processing, data transmission, and internal control.

[0109] Those skilled in the art will understand that this invention obtains the cumulative operating time of the air conditioner 1 at each operating setting, calculates the equivalent duration of each cumulative operating time based on a correction coefficient, and sums all equivalent durations to obtain the depleted lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module 12 within the air conditioner 1. Then, based on the set lifespan and depleted lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module 12, the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is determined. This invention can determine the remaining lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module 12 based on different operating settings of the air conditioner 1, improving the accuracy of determining the remaining lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module 12.

[0110] Furthermore, by determining whether the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is lower than a preset time, if the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12 is lower than the preset time, a reminder message is issued to remind the user to replace the formaldehyde removal module 12. This invention, by judging the usage time of the formaldehyde removal module 12 and issuing a reminder message, makes the usage status of the formaldehyde removal module 12 more intuitive, effectively avoiding the problem of poor indoor air quality caused by the weakened purification capacity of the formaldehyde removal module 12 due to prolonged use, and further effectively avoiding the problem of secondary indoor air pollution caused by continued use of the formaldehyde removal module 12 with weakened purification capacity.

[0111] The technical solutions of the present invention have been described in conjunction with several embodiments above. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can disassemble and combine the technical solutions in the above embodiments, and can also make equivalent changes or substitutions to related technical features. Any changes, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the technical concept and / or technical principles of the present invention will fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control method for an air conditioner, the air conditioner including a formaldehyde removal module; The control method includes: Obtain the cumulative operating time of the air conditioner at each operating level; The equivalent duration of each of the cumulative running times is calculated based on the correction factor; Sum all the equivalent durations to obtain the worn-out lifespan of the formaldehyde removal module; The remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module is determined based on its set service life and its already depleted service life. The correction factor includes the gear ratio factor k. The step of calculating the equivalent duration of each of the cumulative running times based on the correction factor includes: t*k, where t is the cumulative running time corresponding to each of the running gears; When the operating gear is the high-wind operating gear, the gear coefficient k is denoted as k1, k1=1; When the operating gear is the medium-speed operating gear, the gear coefficient k is denoted as k2, k2=2 / 3; When the operating gear is the low wind operating gear, the gear coefficient k is denoted as k3, k3=1 / 2; The correction factor also includes the formaldehyde release rate factor j; The step of calculating the equivalent duration of each of the cumulative running times based on the correction factor includes: t*k*j.

2. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein, When the operating mode is the high-speed operating mode, the formaldehyde release rate coefficient j is denoted as j1; When the operating mode is the medium-speed operating mode, the formaldehyde release rate coefficient j is denoted as j2; When the operating mode is low fan speed, the formaldehyde release rate coefficient j is denoted as j3; The step of determining the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module based on its set service life and its depleted service life includes: t i =t0-(t1*k1*j1+t2*k2*j2+t3*k3*j3); Among them, t i t0 represents the remaining usage time, t1 represents the set service life of the formaldehyde removal module, t2 represents the operating time of the high fan speed setting, t3 represents the operating time of the medium fan speed setting, and t4 represents the operating time of the low fan speed setting.

3. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein, The formaldehyde release rate coefficient j is obtained by the following formula: j=T / T0, Where T is the current ambient temperature of the environment where the air conditioner is located, and T0 is the reference temperature.

4. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein, The control method further includes: Determine whether the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module is less than a preset time. If the remaining usage time of the formaldehyde removal module is less than the preset time, a reminder message will be issued to remind the user to replace the formaldehyde removal module.

5. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein, The notification message is emitted by flashing light from RGB LEDs; and / or, The reminder information is text or image information; and / or, The notification message is an audio message.

6. An air conditioner, comprising a formaldehyde removal module and a controller, the controller being capable of enabling the air conditioner to perform the control method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

Images