A control method for an air conditioner and an air conditioner

Abstract

This invention provides a control method and an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes an ultraviolet sterilization module and an ozone sterilization module. The control method includes: after the air conditioner is activated in sterilization mode, acquiring the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure in the room where the light intensity is greater than an intensity threshold; determining whether the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure meets a first preset condition; if the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure does not meet the first preset condition, controlling the air conditioner to activate the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization. This invention solves the technical problem that bacteria easily grow in a room that is in a cold and damp state for a long time, affecting the health of users.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioner technology, and more specifically, to an air conditioner control method and an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] As people's material living standards improve, their spiritual needs are also increasing, especially in terms of the quality of their living environment. Air conditioners, as an indispensable household appliance in daily life, are essential for purifying indoor air and can protect the air health of users at all times, providing a warm, comfortable and safe environment.

[0003] However, when a room is kept in a cold and damp environment for a long time, bacteria can easily grow. If the room is not disinfected in time, it will affect the health of the users. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the problem of bacteria growth and health risks associated with prolonged periods of cold and dampness in rooms, this invention provides a control method for an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes an ultraviolet (UV) sterilization module and an ozone sterilization module. The control method comprises: after the air conditioner activates its sterilization mode, acquiring the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure in the room where the light intensity exceeds a threshold; determining whether the cumulative sunlight exposure duration meets a first preset condition; and if the cumulative sunlight exposure duration does not meet the first preset condition, controlling the air conditioner to activate the UV sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the room's cumulative usage time and the interval since the last sterilization.

[0005] Compared with existing technologies, the technical effects achieved by this solution are as follows: After the air conditioner turns on the sterilization mode, by acquiring the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure when the room's light intensity exceeds a certain threshold, it is possible to determine whether the room has been in a cold and damp state for a long time. Furthermore, when the room is in a cold and damp state for an extended period, the air conditioner can be controlled to activate the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the room's cumulative usage time and the interval since the last sterilization, thus promptly sterilizing the room and preventing bacteria from affecting the health of the users within the room.

[0006] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first preset condition includes: the cumulative sun exposure time is less than a first duration threshold.

[0007] Compared with existing technologies, the technical effects achieved by this solution are as follows: If the cumulative sunshine duration is less than the first duration threshold, it means that the room has not received enough cumulative sunshine to reach a certain intensity. This may be due to poor outdoor environmental conditions, too many cloudy or rainy days, or poor lighting due to the room facing north. In other words, the room is in a cold and damp state where bacteria can easily grow for a long time. It is necessary to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or ozone sterilization module to sterilize the room in a timely manner.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, controlling the air conditioner to activate the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization includes: determining whether the cumulative sun exposure time meets a second preset condition; if the cumulative sun exposure time meets the second preset condition, controlling the air conditioner to activate the ultraviolet sterilization module; if the cumulative sun exposure time does not meet the second preset condition, controlling the air conditioner to activate the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization; wherein, the second preset condition includes: the cumulative sun exposure time is less than a second duration threshold; the second duration threshold is less than a first duration threshold.

[0009] Compared with existing technologies, the technical effects achieved by this solution are as follows: By setting a first and a second time-limited threshold, the urgency of room sterilization needs can be determined based on the relationship between the cumulative sunlight exposure time and the first and second time-limited thresholds. This allows for the selection of the air conditioner's sterilization method based on the urgency of the sterilization requirement. When the cumulative sunlight exposure time meets the second preset condition (i.e., when the cumulative sunlight exposure time is less than the second time-limited threshold), it indicates that the room's cumulative sunlight exposure time to a certain intensity is severely insufficient. Therefore, the air conditioner is controlled to directly activate the ultraviolet (UV) sterilization module for sterilization. Compared to the ozone sterilization module, the UV sterilization module is more effective at killing bacteria that thrive in a room that has been in a cold and damp environment for a long time. Therefore, the air conditioner is controlled to activate the UV sterilization module for sterilization in this case. Preferably, when the cumulative sunlight exposure time is less than the second time-limited threshold, the UV sterilization module is directly controlled to operate at maximum power. If the cumulative sun exposure time does not meet the second preset condition, it means that the cumulative sun exposure time of the room to a certain intensity is relatively short, but not yet serious. Therefore, at this time, the choice between using the ultraviolet sterilization module or the ozone sterilization module for sterilization is made based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, controlling the air conditioner to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization includes: determining whether the cumulative usage time of the room is greater than a third time threshold; if the cumulative usage time of the room is greater than the third time threshold, then controlling the air conditioner to turn on the ozone sterilization module to run for the fourth time period before the room light intensity is greater than the intensity threshold.

[0011] Compared to existing technologies, the technical effect achieved by this solution is as follows: By determining whether the cumulative usage time of the room exceeds a third time threshold, the cumulative time a user spends in the room can be determined. If the cumulative usage time exceeds the third time threshold, it indicates that the user has spent a relatively long time in the room, increasing the likelihood of bacteria entering the room. For bacteria that may grow due to prolonged time spent in the room, the ozone sterilization module is more effective than the ultraviolet sterilization module. Therefore, the air conditioner is activated to use the ozone sterilization module. It is understandable that ozone sterilization requires maintaining a certain concentration for a certain period. However, when the room's light intensity exceeds a threshold, sunlight will cause ozone decomposition, affecting the sterilization effect of the ozone sterilization module. Therefore, the ozone sterilization module is activated at the fourth time before the room's light intensity exceeds the threshold to ensure its effectiveness. After the ozone sterilization module finishes sterilization, sunlight can be used to decompose the ozone, preventing excessively high residual ozone concentrations that could harm human health.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of controlling the air conditioner to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval time since the last sterilization further includes: if the cumulative usage time of the room is less than or equal to the third duration threshold, then controlling the air conditioner to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module based on the interval time since the last sterilization.

[0013] Compared to existing technologies, the technical effect achieved by this solution is as follows: If the cumulative usage time of the room is less than or equal to the third time threshold, it indicates that the user is not staying in the room for a particularly long time. Therefore, the air conditioner's ultraviolet sterilization module is activated based on the interval since the last sterilization. For example, the operating power of the ultraviolet sterilization module is positively correlated with the interval since the last sterilization.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the control method of the air conditioner further includes: determining whether the room is in use based on the relationship between the number of people in the room and a threshold number of people.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, if the number of people in the indoor room is greater than the number threshold, the room is determined to be in use; the cumulative usage time of the room is accumulated to obtain the cumulative usage time of the room.

[0016] Compared with existing technologies, the technical effect achieved by this solution is as follows: if the number of people in an indoor room exceeds the threshold, it indicates that there are people in the room, and therefore the room is considered to be in use. For example, the threshold is zero.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, after the air conditioner is controlled to turn on the ozone sterilization module for a fifth period of time, the indoor ozone concentration is obtained. If the ozone concentration is greater than the ozone concentration threshold, the air conditioner is controlled to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module; wherein, the fifth period of time is greater than the fourth period of time.

[0018] Compared with existing technologies, the technical effect achieved by this solution is as follows: After the ozone sterilization module of the air conditioner has been running for five hours, the residual ozone concentration after sterilization can be determined by measuring the indoor ozone concentration. If the ozone concentration is greater than the ozone concentration threshold, it indicates that sunlight alone is not very effective in decomposing ozone, and the ultraviolet sterilization module needs to be activated to assist in ozone decomposition, in order to avoid excessively high residual ozone concentration after sterilization, which could affect human health.

[0019] This invention provides an air conditioner that implements any of the control methods described above. The air conditioner includes: an acquisition module for acquiring the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure when the room light intensity is greater than an intensity threshold after the air conditioner is turned on in sterilization mode; a judgment module for determining whether the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure meets a first preset condition; and a control module for controlling the air conditioner to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization, if the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure does not meet the first preset condition.

[0020] This invention provides an air conditioner that includes a controller for executing an executable program to implement any of the control methods for an air conditioner as described above.

[0021] By adopting the technical solution of the present invention, the following technical effects can be achieved:

[0022] (1) After the air conditioner turns on the sterilization mode, by obtaining the cumulative sun exposure time when the room light intensity is greater than the intensity threshold, it can obtain the cumulative sun exposure time when the room is exposed to sunlight at a certain intensity. Thus, it can determine whether the room is in a cold and damp state for a long time based on the cumulative sun exposure time when the room is exposed to sunlight at a certain intensity. Then, when the room is in a cold and damp state for a long time, it can control the air conditioner to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization, so as to sterilize the room in a timely manner and avoid the bacteria growing in the room from affecting the health of the users in the room.

[0023] (2) By setting a first duration threshold and a second duration threshold, the urgency of room sterilization needs can be determined based on the relationship between the cumulative sunlight exposure time of the room and the first and second duration thresholds. This allows for the selection of the air conditioner's sterilization method based on the urgency of the room's sterilization needs. When the cumulative sunlight exposure time meets the second preset condition (i.e., when the cumulative sunlight exposure time is less than the second duration threshold), it indicates that the room's cumulative sunlight exposure time to a certain intensity is severely insufficient. Therefore, the air conditioner is controlled to directly activate the ultraviolet sterilization module for sterilization. Compared to the ozone sterilization module, the ultraviolet sterilization module is more effective at killing bacteria that grow in a room that has been in a cold and damp environment for a long time. Therefore, the air conditioner is controlled to activate the ultraviolet sterilization module for sterilization in this case. Preferably, when the cumulative sunlight exposure time is less than the second duration threshold, the ultraviolet sterilization module is directly activated at its maximum operating power.

[0024] (3) By determining whether the cumulative usage time of the room exceeds the third time threshold, the cumulative time the user spends in the room can be determined. If the cumulative usage time exceeds the third time threshold, it indicates that the user has spent a relatively long time in the room, which increases the likelihood of bacteria entering the room. For bacteria that may grow due to prolonged time spent in the room, the ozone sterilization module is more effective than the ultraviolet sterilization module. Therefore, the air conditioner is controlled to turn on the ozone sterilization module for sterilization. It is understandable that ozone sterilization requires maintaining the ozone at a sterilization concentration for a certain period of time. However, when the room's light intensity exceeds the intensity threshold, sunlight will cause ozone decomposition, affecting the sterilization effect of the ozone sterilization module. Therefore, the ozone sterilization module is turned on during the fourth time before the room's light intensity exceeds the intensity threshold to ensure the sterilization effect of the ozone sterilization module. After the ozone sterilization module has finished sterilizing, sunlight can be used to decompose the ozone to avoid excessive residual ozone concentration after sterilization, which could affect human health. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for an air conditioner provided by the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner module provided by the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] See Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for an air conditioner provided by the present invention. The control method includes, for example, the following steps: after the air conditioner activates the sterilization mode, the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure in the room where the light intensity is greater than a threshold is obtained; it is determined whether the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure meets a first preset condition; if the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure does not meet the first preset condition, the air conditioner is controlled to activate the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization. For example, a bacterial concentration detection device is installed in the room; when the bacterial concentration in the room air is detected to be greater than or equal to a concentration threshold, the air conditioner activates the sterilization mode. The concentration threshold ranges from 1500 to 2500 cfu / m³.

[0029] Understandably, after the air conditioner activates its sterilization mode, it can determine the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure when the room's light intensity exceeds a certain threshold. This allows it to identify when the room has been exposed to sunlight at a certain intensity. Consequently, based on this cumulative duration, it can determine whether the room has been in a cold and damp state for an extended period. If the room has been in a cold and damp state for a long time, it can control the air conditioner to activate the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the room's cumulative usage time and the interval since the last sterilization. This timely sterilization process prevents bacteria from growing in the room from affecting the health of the users.

[0030] Furthermore, the first preset condition includes: the cumulative sun exposure time is less than a first duration threshold.

[0031] Understandably, if the cumulative sunshine duration is less than the first duration threshold, it means that the room has not received enough cumulative sunshine to reach a certain intensity. This may be due to poor outdoor environmental conditions, too many cloudy or rainy days, or poor lighting due to the room facing north. In other words, the room is in a cold and damp state where bacteria can easily grow for a long time. It is necessary to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or ozone sterilization module to sterilize the room in a timely manner.

[0032] Furthermore, the step of controlling the air conditioner to activate the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization includes: determining whether the cumulative sun exposure time meets a second preset condition; if the cumulative sun exposure time meets the second preset condition, controlling the air conditioner to activate the ultraviolet sterilization module; if the cumulative sun exposure time does not meet the second preset condition, controlling the air conditioner to activate the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization; wherein, the second preset condition includes: the cumulative sun exposure time is less than a second duration threshold; the second duration threshold is less than the first duration threshold.

[0033] Understandably, by setting a first and a second time-limit threshold, the urgency of the room's sterilization needs can be determined based on the relationship between the room's cumulative sunlight exposure time and the first and second time-limit thresholds. This allows for the selection of the air conditioner's sterilization method based on the urgency of the need. When the cumulative sunlight exposure time meets the second preset condition (i.e., when the cumulative sunlight exposure time is less than the second time-limit threshold), it indicates that the room's cumulative sunlight exposure time to a certain intensity is severely insufficient. Therefore, the air conditioner is controlled to directly activate the ultraviolet (UV) sterilization module for sterilization. Compared to the ozone sterilization module, the UV sterilization module is more effective at killing bacteria that thrive in a room that has been in a cold and damp environment for a long time. Therefore, in this case, the air conditioner is controlled to activate the UV sterilization module for sterilization. Preferably, when the cumulative sunlight exposure time is less than the second time-limit threshold, the UV sterilization module is directly controlled to operate at maximum power. If the cumulative sun exposure time does not meet the second preset condition, it means that the cumulative sun exposure time of the room to a certain intensity is relatively short, but not yet serious. Therefore, at this time, the choice between using the ultraviolet sterilization module or the ozone sterilization module for sterilization is made based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization.

[0034] Furthermore, controlling the air conditioner to activate the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization includes: determining whether the cumulative usage time of the room is greater than a third time threshold; if the cumulative usage time of the room is greater than the third time threshold, then controlling the air conditioner to activate the ozone sterilization module for the fourth time period before the room light intensity exceeds the intensity threshold. For example, a preferred value for this fourth time period is 30 minutes.

[0035] Understandably, by determining whether the cumulative usage time of the room exceeds the third time threshold, the total time a user spends in the room can be determined. If the cumulative usage time exceeds the third time threshold, it indicates that the user has spent a relatively long time in the room, increasing the likelihood of bacteria entering the room. For bacteria that may grow due to prolonged time spent in the room, ozone sterilization is more effective than ultraviolet sterilization. Therefore, the air conditioner is activated with the ozone sterilization module. It is understandable that ozone sterilization requires maintaining a certain concentration for a certain period. However, when the room's light intensity exceeds the intensity threshold, sunlight will cause ozone decomposition, affecting the sterilization effect of the ozone sterilization module. Therefore, the ozone sterilization module is activated at the fourth time before the room's light intensity exceeds the intensity threshold to ensure its effectiveness. After the ozone sterilization module finishes, sunlight can be used to decompose the ozone, preventing excessively high residual ozone concentrations that could harm human health. The fourth duration is the operating time of the ozone sterilization module, which can be determined based on the number of bacteria in the room.

[0036] Furthermore, the step of controlling the air conditioner to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization also includes: if the cumulative usage time of the room is less than or equal to the third duration threshold, then controlling the air conditioner to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module based on the interval since the last sterilization.

[0037] Understandably, if the cumulative usage time of the room is less than or equal to the third time threshold, it indicates that the user has not spent a particularly long time in the room. Therefore, the air conditioner's UV sterilization module is activated based on the interval since the last sterilization. For example, in this case, the operating power of the UV sterilization module is positively correlated with the interval since the last sterilization.

[0038] Furthermore, the control method for the air conditioner also includes: determining whether the room is in use based on the relationship between the number of people in the room and a threshold number of people.

[0039] Furthermore, if the number of people in the indoor room is greater than the number threshold, the room is determined to be in use; the cumulative usage time of the room is accumulated to obtain the cumulative usage time of the room.

[0040] Understandably, if the number of people in a room exceeds the threshold, it indicates that someone is in the room, and the room is considered occupied. For example, the threshold is zero.

[0041] Furthermore, after controlling the air conditioner to turn on the ozone sterilization module for a fifth period of time, the indoor ozone concentration is obtained. If the ozone concentration is greater than the ozone concentration threshold, the air conditioner is controlled to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module; wherein, the fifth period of time is greater than the fourth period of time.

[0042] Understandably, after the air conditioner's ozone sterilization module has been running for five hours, the indoor ozone concentration can be used to determine the residual ozone concentration after sterilization. If the ozone concentration exceeds the ozone concentration threshold, it indicates that sunlight alone is not very effective at decomposing ozone, and the ultraviolet sterilization module needs to be activated to assist in ozone decomposition, in order to avoid excessively high residual ozone concentrations after sterilization, which could affect human health.

[0043] Furthermore, in combination Figure 2 This invention provides an air conditioner. The air conditioner 200 includes, for example, an acquisition module 210, a judgment module 220, and a control module 230. The acquisition module 210 is used to acquire the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure in the room when the room's light intensity exceeds a threshold after the air conditioner is activated in sterilization mode. The judgment module 220 is used to determine whether the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure meets a first preset condition. The control module 230, if the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure does not meet the first preset condition, controls the air conditioner to activate the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization.

[0044] In one specific embodiment, the acquisition module 210, the judgment module 220, and the control module 230 cooperate with each other to enable the air conditioner to implement any of the control methods of the air conditioner described above and achieve the same effect. To avoid repetition, they will not be described again here.

[0045] Furthermore, this invention provides an air conditioner that includes a controller. The controller is used to execute an executable program to implement any of the control methods for air conditioners described above, and to achieve the same effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0046] While the present invention has been disclosed above, it is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A control method for an air conditioner, characterized in that, The air conditioner includes an ultraviolet sterilization module and an ozone sterilization module, and the control method of the air conditioner includes: After the air conditioner is turned on sterilization mode, the cumulative duration of sunlight exposure when the room light intensity is greater than the intensity threshold is obtained; Determine whether the cumulative sun exposure time meets the first preset condition; If the cumulative sun exposure time meets the first preset condition, the air conditioner is controlled to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module according to the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization. The first preset condition includes: the cumulative sun exposure time is less than a first duration threshold; The step of controlling the air conditioner to activate the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization includes: Determine whether the cumulative sun exposure time meets the second preset condition; If the cumulative sun exposure time meets the second preset condition, then control the air conditioner to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module; If the cumulative sun exposure time does not meet the second preset condition, the air conditioner is controlled to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module according to the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval time since the last sterilization. The second preset condition includes: the cumulative sun exposure time is less than a second duration threshold; and the second duration threshold is less than the first duration threshold.

2. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of controlling the air conditioner to activate the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization includes: Determine whether the cumulative usage time of the room is greater than the third duration threshold; If the cumulative usage time of the room exceeds the third duration threshold, then during the fourth duration before the room's light intensity exceeds the intensity threshold, the air conditioner is controlled to turn on the ozone sterilization module and run for the fourth duration.

3. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method of controlling the air conditioner to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module based on the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization also includes: If the cumulative usage time of the room is less than or equal to the third duration threshold, the air conditioner is controlled to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module according to the interval since the last sterilization; the operating power of the ultraviolet sterilization module is positively correlated with the interval since the last sterilization.

4. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control method for the air conditioner also includes: Whether a room is in use is determined by the relationship between the number of people in the room and the number of people threshold.

5. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 4, characterized in that, If the number of people in the indoor room is greater than the number threshold, the room is determined to be in use. The total usage time of a room can be obtained by summing up the time the room is in use.

6. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that, After the air conditioner has been running the ozone sterilization module for five hours, the indoor ozone concentration is obtained. If the ozone concentration is greater than the ozone concentration threshold, the air conditioner is controlled to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module. The fifth duration is longer than the fourth duration.

7. An air conditioner, characterized in that, The air conditioner implements the control method for the air conditioner as described in any one of claims 1-6, and the air conditioner includes: The acquisition module is used to acquire the cumulative sunshine duration when the room light intensity is greater than the intensity threshold after the air conditioner is turned on sterilization mode; The judgment module is used to determine whether the cumulative sun exposure time meets the first preset condition; The control module is used to control the air conditioner to turn on the ultraviolet sterilization module and / or the ozone sterilization module according to the cumulative usage time of the room and the interval since the last sterilization when the cumulative sun exposure time meets the first preset condition.

8. An air conditioner, characterized in that, The air conditioner includes a controller for executing an executable program to implement the control method of the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1-6.

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