Control method and controller for air conditioner to start in advance, and air conditioner

Abstract

The application discloses a control method, a controller and an air conditioner for early starting of the air conditioner. The control method comprises the following steps: obtaining an ambient temperature and a current time, determining required running energy consumption and running time for reaching a set temperature of indoor temperature under different air supply temperatures according to the ambient temperature and historical running data, selecting the lowest running energy consumption and determining a target running time and a target air supply temperature corresponding to the lowest running energy consumption, and controlling the air conditioner to start at the target air supply temperature according to the target running time, a target time and the current time. The target time is used to represent a reaching time set by a user. Therefore, the user only needs to set a home-coming time, and the air conditioner can automatically determine when to start and run for how long in the most energy-saving manner according to the current environment and automatically set the air supply temperature, so that the indoor temperature can meet the requirements of the user on one hand, and the problem of energy waste caused by early starting of the air conditioner is avoided on the other hand.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioner technology, and in particular to a control method, controller and air conditioner for early start-up of an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing prevalence of smart air conditioners, more and more models can be remotely controlled via the internet or scheduled to turn on remotely. Users can set a start time so that the air conditioner turns on at a specified time, allowing them to enjoy a comfortable temperature as soon as they arrive home.

[0003] Under the relevant technology, although users can use timed start commands to turn on the air conditioner at a specified time, the specified time needs to be estimated by the user. Since the air conditioner cannot predict when the user will arrive home, the timed start command often only allows the air conditioner to run continuously at the user's set temperature and mode. This can easily lead to the indoor temperature not reaching the user's set temperature when the user arrives home, and it can also easily lead to the specified time being too early, causing the air conditioner to run continuously and resulting in wasted electricity. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The following is an overview of the subject matter described in detail herein. This overview is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

[0005] This invention provides a control method, controller, and air conditioner for early start-up of an air conditioner, which can automatically determine the start-up time, running time, and operating energy consumption when the user sets the arrival time, providing a better user experience.

[0006] An embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention provides a control method for early start-up of an air conditioner, comprising:

[0007] The ambient temperature and current time are obtained. Based on the ambient temperature and historical operating data, the operating energy consumption and operating time required to bring the indoor temperature to the set temperature under different supply air temperatures are determined. The lowest operating energy consumption is selected and the target operating time and target supply air temperature corresponding to the lowest operating energy consumption are determined.

[0008] Based on the target runtime, target time, and current time, the air conditioner is controlled to start at the target air supply temperature, where the target time is used to characterize the arrival time set by the user.

[0009] The air conditioner pre-start control method according to the first aspect of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: When the user sets a target time for arriving at the location of the air conditioner, the air conditioner calculates the operating energy consumption and operating time at different supply air temperatures based on the ambient temperature and historical operating data. Then, with energy saving as the premise, it selects the corresponding target operating time and target supply air temperature. Finally, based on the target operating time, target time, and current time, the air conditioner starts at the target supply air temperature. Through this method, the user only needs to set the arrival time, and the air conditioner can automatically determine when to start and how long to run based on the current environment in the most energy-efficient way, and automatically set the supply air temperature. This ensures that the air conditioner can adjust the indoor temperature to the user's set temperature just before the user's specified arrival time, guaranteeing that the indoor temperature meets the user's requirements and avoiding the energy waste that can easily occur with pre-starting.

[0010] In some embodiments, obtaining the ambient temperature and the current time includes:

[0011] Receive a reservation start instruction, the reservation start instruction carrying the target time;

[0012] The ambient temperature and the current time are obtained at preset time intervals.

[0013] In some embodiments, determining the operating energy consumption and operating time required to reach a set temperature at different supply air temperatures based on the ambient temperature and historical operating data includes:

[0014] The indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor / outdoor thermal resistance coefficient are determined based on the ambient temperature and historical operating data.

[0015] The operating energy consumption and operating time required to achieve the set temperature at different supply air temperatures are determined based on the ambient temperature, the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient, and the indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficients.

[0016] In some embodiments, the ambient temperature includes indoor temperature and outdoor temperature; determining the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor / outdoor thermal resistance coefficient based on the ambient temperature and historical operating data includes:

[0017] Based on the indoor temperature, the outdoor temperature, the set temperature, and the set air volume, historical operating data is queried to obtain the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and the indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficient.

[0018] In some embodiments, the historical running data is stored in a local database and / or a cloud database.

[0019] In some embodiments, determining the operating energy consumption and operating time required to reach a set temperature at different supply air temperatures based on the ambient temperature, the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient, and the indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficients includes:

[0020] Several air supply temperatures are determined based on the difference between the maximum air supply temperature of the air conditioner and the set temperature.

[0021] For each of the aforementioned air supply temperatures, the operating time and operating power are obtained based on the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient, the indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficients, the ambient temperature, the set temperature, and the set air supply volume.

[0022] The operating energy consumption at different supply air temperatures is determined based on the operating power and the operating duration.

[0023] In some embodiments, the operating power is obtained in the following manner:

[0024] For each of the aforementioned air supply temperatures, the heat exchange is obtained based on the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient, the indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficients, the indoor temperature, and the preset air supply volume;

[0025] The compressor frequency is obtained based on the heat exchange rate, the indoor temperature, the outdoor temperature, and a preset heat exchange rate fitting formula.

[0026] The operating power is obtained based on the compressor frequency, the indoor temperature, the outdoor temperature, and a preset operating power fitting formula.

[0027] In some embodiments, determining a plurality of supply air temperatures based on the difference between the maximum supply air temperature of the air conditioner and the set temperature includes:

[0028] The difference between the maximum air supply temperature of the air conditioner and the set temperature is divided into an arithmetic sequence with n terms;

[0029] n air supply temperatures are determined based on the common difference of the arithmetic sequence, where n is a positive integer.

[0030] In some embodiments, the preset air volume is determined by one of the following methods:

[0031] The preset air volume is determined based on the user's scheduled start command;

[0032] After receiving the user's scheduled start command, if no one is detected within the air supply range, the maximum air supply volume of the air conditioner is used as the preset air supply volume.

[0033] In some embodiments, selecting the lowest operating energy consumption and determining the target operating time and target supply air temperature corresponding to the lowest operating energy consumption includes:

[0034] Discard runtime that is greater than the time difference between the current time and the target time;

[0035] Select the runtime with the lowest corresponding operating energy consumption from the remaining runtime as the target runtime;

[0036] The target supply air temperature is determined based on the target runtime.

[0037] In some embodiments, it also includes:

[0038] When the duration of all the above operations exceeds the time difference between the current time and the target time, the air conditioner is controlled to start at the maximum supply air temperature.

[0039] In some embodiments, it also includes:

[0040] After controlling the air conditioner to start at the target air supply temperature, record the ambient temperature and operating parameters corresponding to this operation of the air conditioner;

[0041] The ambient temperature and operating parameters corresponding to this operation are stored in the historical operation data.

[0042] In some embodiments, controlling the air conditioner to start at the target supply air temperature based on the target runtime, the target time, and the current time includes:

[0043] The estimated startup time is determined based on the target runtime and target time.

[0044] When the time difference between the current time and the estimated start-up time is less than a preset duration threshold, the air conditioner is controlled to start at the target air supply temperature at the estimated start-up time.

[0045] A second aspect of the present invention provides a controller, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the control method as described in the first aspect.

[0046] A third aspect of the present invention provides an air conditioner including the controller described in the second aspect.

[0047] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing the control method as described in the first aspect.

[0048] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the structures particularly pointed out in the description, claims, and drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0049] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the control method provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of obtaining ambient temperature and current time provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 3 This is a flowchart for determining the power-on time provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 4 This is a flowchart provided by an embodiment of the present invention, which determines the operating energy consumption and operating time based on the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and the indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficients.

[0053] Figure 5 This is a flowchart provided by an embodiment of the present invention for determining operating energy consumption based on indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficient;

[0054] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of obtaining operating power based on a fitting formula, provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 7 This is a flowchart provided by an embodiment of the present invention for obtaining multiple air supply temperatures in the form of an arithmetic sequence;

[0056] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of the filtering runtime provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of the direct start-up at the maximum supply air temperature provided in the embodiments of the present invention;

[0058] Figure 10 This is a flowchart provided in an embodiment of the present invention for recording the parameters of the current operation into historical operation data;

[0059] Figure 11 This is a structural connection diagram of the controller provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0060] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the features, operations, or characteristics described in the specification can be combined in any suitable manner to form various implementations. Simultaneously, the steps or actions in the method description can be rearranged or adjusted in a manner readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various orders in the specification and drawings are merely for the clear description of a particular embodiment and do not imply a mandatory order, unless otherwise stated that a particular order must be followed.

[0061] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "more than" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0062] The serial numbers assigned to components in this document, such as "first" and "second," are used only to distinguish the described objects and have no sequential or technical meaning. The terms "connection" and "linkage" used in this application, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages).

[0063] Traditional air conditioner pre-start mode involves the user setting the start time, mode, target room temperature, and fan speed (or automatic fan speed). The air conditioner then checks if the set start time has arrived. If so, it automatically starts and operates according to the set mode, target temperature, and fan speed. This simple start-up mode has two drawbacks: firstly, the indoor temperature may not reach the set temperature when the user arrives home, affecting comfort; secondly, setting the start time too early can cause the air conditioner to run continuously, resulting in excessive power consumption.

[0064] Based on this, embodiments of the present invention provide a control method, controller, and air conditioner for early start-up of an air conditioner. The method determines the final operating energy consumption and operating time at different supply air temperatures based on ambient temperature and historical operating data, and selects the operating condition with the lowest operating energy consumption to control the air conditioner, thereby achieving precise early start-up control and avoiding energy waste.

[0065] The following explanation is based on the accompanying diagram:

[0066] Reference Figure 1The present invention provides a control method for early start-up of an air conditioner, comprising:

[0067] Step S100: Obtain the ambient temperature and the current time; determine the operating energy consumption and operating time required to bring the indoor temperature to the set temperature under different supply air temperatures based on the ambient temperature and historical operating data; select the lowest operating energy consumption and determine the target operating time and target supply air temperature corresponding to the lowest operating energy consumption.

[0068] Step S200: Based on the target runtime, target time, and current time, control the air conditioner to start at the target supply air temperature. The target time is used to characterize the arrival time set by the user.

[0069] The scheduled start-up of the air conditioner is typically triggered by a user-defined arrival time. This arrival time is set by the user based on their own circumstances, such as the time they arrive at the location where the air conditioner is located, for example, the time they arrive home or the time they go to work. In this embodiment, the arrival time is referred to as the target time. At this time, the air conditioner determines the operating energy consumption and operating time required to reach the set temperature at different supply air temperatures based on the ambient temperature and historical operating data, obtaining multiple sets of data. Each set of data contains a one-to-one correspondence of supply air temperature, operating energy consumption, and operating time. Then, the set with the lowest operating energy consumption is selected from the multiple sets of data as the data used to control the scheduled start-up of the air conditioner. That is, this set of data includes the lowest operating energy consumption, the target supply air temperature, and the target operating time. The air conditioner also detects the current time and controls the air conditioner to operate at the target supply air temperature based on the target operating time, the target time, and the current time. For example, a start-up time is determined based on the target operating time and the target time. When the current time reaches the start-up time, the air conditioner is controlled to start at the target supply air temperature. By starting the air conditioner in advance in this way, the indoor temperature can be adjusted to the set temperature just when the user arrives at the destination. This avoids situations where there is not enough time for heat exchange, resulting in the indoor temperature not reaching the set temperature. It also avoids situations where the air conditioner continues to run for a long time after the indoor temperature has been adjusted to the set temperature in advance, thus consuming more electricity. On the one hand, it improves the user experience of using the scheduled start-up function, and on the other hand, it ensures that the air conditioner can run in advance in the most energy-efficient way, avoiding additional waste.

[0070] Understandably, historical operating data can be stored in a local database or a cloud database. If stored locally, the air conditioner can directly query the data locally. If stored in a cloud database, the air conditioner can download the latest database from the cloud and query it locally, or it can send data such as the current ambient temperature to the cloud and then query the cloud database. For data stored in the cloud database, the device receiving the current ambient temperature data sent by the air conditioner can be a mobile terminal (e.g., receiving data and querying it through an app on the mobile terminal) or a cloud server (the cloud server receives the data and returns the query results to the air conditioner). Historical operating data contains multiple sets of data from the air conditioner under different ambient temperatures and operating conditions. This data can be stored during historical operation or obtained from laboratory simulations. The air conditioner can query the historical operating data based on the current ambient temperature to find the most suitable set of data as a reference value, thereby calculating the corresponding operating energy consumption and operating time at different supply air temperatures, providing an accurate reference for scheduled start-up of the air conditioner.

[0071] The ambient temperature can include indoor and outdoor temperatures. Based on the indoor and outdoor temperatures, we can roughly determine the energy and time required for the air conditioner to adjust the indoor temperature to the set temperature. Therefore, each set of data in the historical operation data can be represented as the correspondence between indoor temperature, outdoor temperature, supply air temperature, operating energy consumption, and operating time. When querying, we use the indoor and outdoor temperatures as key values ​​to retrieve the supply air temperature, operating energy consumption, and operating time, which can be used as reference data for subsequent control of the air conditioner's scheduled start.

[0072] Reference Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, step S100, obtaining the ambient temperature and the current time, may specifically include the following steps:

[0073] Step S110: Receive the scheduled start command, which carries the target time.

[0074] Step S120: Obtain the ambient temperature and the current time at preset time intervals.

[0075] The user sets a target time, generating a scheduled start command and sending it to the air conditioner. Upon receiving the scheduled start command, the air conditioner begins executing step S120. Since the user can send the scheduled start command at any time, the air conditioner, knowing the target time, acquires the ambient temperature at preset intervals to eliminate the influence of ambient temperature changes. It then calculates the operating energy consumption and operating time corresponding to different supply air temperatures under the current ambient temperature. After selecting the target operating time corresponding to the lowest operating energy consumption, it compares the time difference between the current time and the target time. If the time difference is the same as the target operating time, it indicates that the air conditioner has reached the scheduled start time. Finally, it starts and runs at the target supply air temperature for the target operating time, thus adjusting the indoor temperature to the set temperature precisely at the target time. If the user issues a scheduled start command early in the morning, for example, if the user leaves at 8:00 AM and schedules the air conditioner to start at 6:00 PM, after receiving the scheduled start command, the air conditioner detects the ambient temperature to obtain the target running time. However, the target running time is much shorter than the time difference between the current time and the target time, so the air conditioner does not start. Furthermore, the ambient temperature at 8:00 AM does not represent the ambient temperature before 6:00 PM. Therefore, the air conditioner monitors the ambient temperature again after a preset interval until the detected target running time is close to the time difference between the current time and the target time. At this point, it can be determined that the air conditioner will automatically start at the start time determined by the target running time and the target time. For example, if the current time is 5:28 PM and the calculated target running time is 30 minutes, the air conditioner can start at 5:30 PM.

[0076] It is worth noting that, in this embodiment of the invention, the user does not directly set the start-up time. Instead, it starts from the result, using the user-set arrival time as a benchmark, and deduces the air conditioner's start-up time based on the target runtime. Therefore, the air conditioner needs to detect the ambient temperature at preset time intervals, update the target runtime, and determine the relationship between the current target runtime and the current time and the target time, thereby achieving precise operation control. Compared to traditional air conditioner start-up time settings, this method can more accurately control the air conditioner to start earlier based on the user's arrival time (e.g., arrival time at home). Since the arrival time is set by the user, the early start-up method based on this embodiment of the invention can meet the user's actual needs and provide a better user experience.

[0077] It is worth noting that the preset time interval can be fixed, such as detecting once every 10 minutes, or it can be variable. For example, if the time difference between the current time and the target time is large, the preset time interval will be longer, such as detecting once every 30 minutes. As time goes by, if the time difference between the current time and the target time is small, the preset time interval will be smaller, such as changing from detecting once every 30 minutes to detecting once every 20 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, etc. This variable preset time interval scheme is helpful for users to set the target time too early, avoiding the air conditioner from frequently detecting the ambient temperature.

[0078] Reference Figure 3 As shown, in step S200, the scheduled start time is calculated based on the target runtime, target time, and current time. The following steps can be referenced:

[0079] Step S210: Determine the estimated power-on time based on the target runtime and target time;

[0080] Step S220: When the time difference between the current time and the estimated start-up time is less than a preset duration threshold, control the air conditioner to start at the target supply air temperature at the estimated start-up time.

[0081] After calculating the target runtime at the current moment, the estimated start-up time is obtained by extrapolating the target runtime backward from the target moment. Since the current moment may have a large time difference from the target moment, the target runtime calculated at the current moment may not be accurate, and the estimated start-up time can only be considered an estimate. When the current moment is close to the target moment, the calculated target runtime is basically accurate (ambient temperature usually does not change abruptly), and a more accurate estimated start-up time can be obtained. To avoid the air conditioner crossing the estimated start-up time between two detection time points, the judgment method in this embodiment is: if the time difference between the current moment and the estimated start-up time is less than a preset duration threshold, the estimated start-up time is considered basically accurate, and the air conditioner is directly controlled to start at the preset start-up time. The preset duration threshold can be set according to actual needs, for example, the preset duration threshold can be less than a preset time interval.

[0082] In some embodiments, in step S100 above, the required operating energy consumption and operating time to achieve the set temperature at different supply air temperatures are determined based on ambient temperature and historical operating data, referring to... Figure 4 As shown, the specific steps may include:

[0083] Step S130: Determine the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor / outdoor thermal resistance coefficient based on ambient temperature and historical operating data;

[0084] Step S140: Determine the operating energy consumption and operating time required to achieve the set temperature at different supply air temperatures based on the ambient temperature, indoor specific heat capacity coefficient, and indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficient.

[0085] Specific heat capacity is the heat capacity per unit mass of a substance, that is, the amount of heat absorbed or released when a unit mass of an object changes temperature by a unit amount. It refers to the amount of heat absorbed (or released) when a unit mass of a certain substance increases (or decreases) in temperature by a unit amount. Thermal conductivity reflects the ability of a substance to conduct heat per unit volume. In fact, it reflects the inherent ability of a substance to conduct heat. This ability is determined by the atomic or molecular structure of the substance. It is a parameter for evaluating the thermal conductivity between substances. In this embodiment of the invention, the historical operating data does not directly record the relationship between ambient temperature and supply air temperature, operating energy consumption, and operating time. Instead, it records the relationship between ambient temperature and indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor / outdoor thermal resistance coefficient. The indoor specific heat capacity coefficient represents the overall specific heat capacity of the room containing the air in which the air conditioner is located, and can be considered as the specific heat capacity of the object being cooled or heated by the air conditioner. The indoor / outdoor thermal resistance coefficient represents the magnitude of the resistance to heat conduction between the air in the room containing the air conditioner and the air outside the room. The indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and the indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficient indicate the difficulty of air conditioning for cooling or heating, thereby reflecting the relationship between the current ambient temperature and the operating power and operating time of the air conditioner.

[0086] After obtaining the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficient, the operating power and operating time of the air conditioner at different supply air temperatures can be determined based on the ambient temperature.

[0087] In some embodiments, the historical operating data also has two key values: set temperature and set air volume. Since the ambient temperature includes indoor temperature and outdoor temperature, the relationship between the indoor temperature, outdoor temperature, set temperature, set air volume and indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficient can be found in the historical operating data. In other words, by querying the historical operating data based on the indoor temperature, outdoor temperature and set air volume, the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficient can be obtained.

[0088] Understandably, by fitting the key values ​​in historical operating data, the corresponding indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor / outdoor thermal resistance coefficient can be obtained. For example, the following formula can be used:

[0089] Tn=K(Tsi+Tf)*(1-exp(-t / τ)+Tai*exp(-t / τ)

[0090] K = Cp * R * Vai / (Cp * R * Vai + 1 / r)

[0091] τ=Cf / (Cp*R*Vai+1 / r)

[0092] Tf = Tao / (Cp * R * Vai * r)

[0093] Where Tn represents the current indoor temperature, Tsi represents one of the supply air temperatures, Tai represents the initial indoor temperature when the air conditioner starts running, Tao represents the initial outdoor temperature when the air conditioner starts running, t represents the time required for the air conditioner to adjust the initial indoor temperature to the set temperature, Vai represents the set air volume of the air conditioner, Cp represents the specific heat capacity of air, and R represents the air density.

[0094] The specific heat capacity of air does not have a fixed value. Even at a fixed temperature, it is usually expressed using isobaric or isovolumetric specific heat capacity, both of which are temperature-dependent (they can be considered essentially equal when the temperature difference is not too large). Common methods for determining the specific heat capacity of air include adiabatic expansion, vibration, and EDA methods. In this embodiment of the invention, the current ambient temperature is used as a variable to determine the value representing the specific heat capacity of air. This value can be measured in multiple sets of data in a laboratory environment and stored in historical operating data, or in the preset parameter table of the air conditioner, etc. Strictly speaking, air density also does not have a precise value, but it can have an accurate value under certain temperature and pressure conditions. For example, under standard conditions (0 degrees Celsius, 1 standard atmosphere (1 atm)), the air density is considered to be approximately 1.29 kg / m³. 3 Obviously, in the actual operation of an air conditioner, the air density value is different with different ambient temperatures. In this embodiment of the invention, the current ambient temperature is used as a variable to determine the value representing the air density. This value can be measured in multiple sets of data in a laboratory environment and stored in historical operating data, or stored in the preset parameter table of the air conditioner, etc.

[0095] Historical operating data is obtained from sample data of the air conditioner's actual operation or operation under experimental conditions. This data is then used to fit the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor / outdoor thermal resistance coefficient using the aforementioned formula. However, in actual operation, the air conditioner does not use this formula to calculate the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor / outdoor thermal resistance coefficient. The database stores the relationship between the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient, indoor / outdoor thermal resistance coefficient, and other parameters. Therefore, during actual operation, the air conditioner can directly query historical operating data instead of using formula fitting to obtain the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor / outdoor thermal resistance coefficient.

[0096] Based on the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor / outdoor thermal resistance coefficient obtained above, step S140 calculates the corresponding operating energy consumption and operating time at different supply air temperatures, referring to... Figure 5 As shown, this can be achieved through the following steps:

[0097] Step S141: Determine several air supply temperatures based on the difference between the maximum air supply temperature and the set temperature of the air conditioner.

[0098] Step S142: For each supply air temperature, the running time and operating power are obtained based on the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient, indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficient, ambient temperature, set temperature and set supply air volume.

[0099] Step S143: Determine the operating energy consumption at different supply air temperatures based on the operating power and operating time.

[0100] Assuming the maximum supply air temperature of the air conditioner is represented by Tmax, and the set temperature by Ts, multiple supply air temperatures can be obtained based on the difference between Tmax and Ts (in cooling mode, Tmax is less than Ts, and in heating mode, Tmax is greater than Ts, but the difference can still be calculated using ΔT = Tmax - Ts). The method for dividing the difference is set according to actual needs. In short, after obtaining multiple supply air temperatures, historical operating data can be consulted to obtain the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor / outdoor thermal resistance coefficient corresponding to different supply air temperatures.

[0101] Then, for each supply air temperature, based on the obtained indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor / outdoor thermal resistance coefficient, the detected ambient temperature, the set temperature, and the set supply air volume, the operating power and operating time can be calculated. Finally, the operating energy consumption can be calculated based on the operating power and operating time. Examples of the calculation process for operating time and operating power are provided below.

[0102] The runtime can be calculated using the following formula:

[0103] Tn=K(Tsi+Tf)*(1-exp(-t / τ)+Tai*exp(-t / τ)

[0104] The current supply air temperature is Tsi. Substituting the supply air temperature Tsi, the preset supply air volume Vai, the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient Cf, the indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficient r, the outdoor temperature Tao, and the current indoor temperature Tn into the above formula, the running time ti can be calculated.

[0105] Operating power can be calculated in the following way, referring to... Figure 6 As shown:

[0106] Step S1421: For each supply air temperature, the heat exchange is obtained based on the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient, indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficient, indoor temperature and preset supply air volume.

[0107] Step S1422: Obtain the compressor frequency based on the heat exchange, indoor temperature, outdoor temperature and preset heat exchange fitting formula;

[0108] Step S1423: Obtain the operating power based on the compressor frequency, indoor temperature, outdoor temperature and preset operating power fitting formula.

[0109] The heat exchange is calculated using the following formula:

[0110] Qi = Cp * R * Vai * (Tsi - Tai)

[0111] Substitute the specific heat capacity of air Cp, air density R, and the set air volume Vai and air temperature Tsi into the above formula to obtain the heat exchange Qi. Then, according to the outdoor temperature Tao and the preset heat exchange fitting formula, the compressor frequency is obtained. Finally, according to the compressor frequency and the preset operating power fitting formula, the operating power is obtained.

[0112] The preset heat exchange fitting formula and the preset operating power fitting formula can be adopted as follows:

[0113] Q=a0+a1*Tao+a2*Tai+a3*F+a4*Tao^2+a5*Tai^2+a6*F^2+a7*Tao*Tai+a8*Tao*F+ a9*Tai*F+a10*Tao^2*F+a11*Tai^2*F+a12*F^2*Tao+a13*F^2*Tai+a14*Tao*Tai*F

[0114] P=b0+b1*Tao+b2*Tai+b3*F+b4*Tao^2+b5*Tai^2+b6*F^2+b7*Tao*Tai+b8*Tao*F+ b9*Tai*F+b10*Tao^2*F+b11*Tai^2*F+b12*F^2*Tao+b13*F^2*Tai+b14*Tao*Tai*F

[0115] Where a0,…,a14, b0,…b14 are all constants, F is the operating frequency of the air conditioner, Q represents the heat exchange, and P represents the operating power.

[0116] It is understandable that the preset heat exchange fitting formula is the relationship between Q and F, and the preset operating power fitting formula is the relationship between P and F. Both of these formulas are fitting formulas, which can be obtained based on experimental data or the actual operating parameters of the air conditioner; no limitation is made here. Furthermore, the above fitting formulas are only one possible formula; other fitting formulas can be obtained by increasing or decreasing the number of fitting terms.

[0117] Therefore, when the supply air temperature is Tsi, the heat exchange Qi is calculated. Substituting the heat exchange Qi, indoor temperature Tai, and outdoor temperature Tao into the preset heat exchange fitting formula, the compressor frequency Fi under the current supply air temperature Tsi can be obtained. Substituting the compressor frequency Fi, indoor temperature Tai, and outdoor temperature Tao into the preset operating power fitting formula, the operating power Pi under the current supply air temperature Tsi can be obtained.

[0118] Finally, based on the running time ti and running frequency Pi calculated above, the operating power Wsi at the current supply air temperature Tsi can be obtained using the formula W=P*t.

[0119] In some embodiments, the plurality of supply air temperatures in step S141 above can be obtained by dividing them into an arithmetic sequence; refer to Figure 7 As shown, specifically, it includes the following steps:

[0120] Step S1411: Divide the difference between the maximum air supply temperature and the set temperature of the air conditioner into an arithmetic sequence with n terms;

[0121] Step S1412: Determine n air supply temperatures based on the common difference of the arithmetic sequence, where n is a positive integer.

[0122] Dividing the difference ΔT between the maximum supply air temperature Tmax and the set temperature Ts into n parts, we can form an arithmetic sequence S(i)={Ts0,Ts1,Ts2,…,Tsn}, that is, Ts0=Ts, Ts1=Ts+ΔT1 / n, Ts2=Ts+2*ΔT1 / n,…,Tsi=Ts1+i*ΔT1 / n,…,Tsn=Tmax.

[0123] On the other hand, the aforementioned preset air volume Vai can also be determined in one of the following ways:

[0124] ① Determine the preset air supply volume based on the user's scheduled start command;

[0125] ②After receiving the user's scheduled start command, if no one is detected in the air supply range, the maximum air supply volume of the air conditioner will be used as the preset air supply volume.

[0126] In the first method, the air volume Vai is set to a fixed value by the user. In the second method, the air volume Vai value is determined based on whether there are people in the current environment (usually the effective coverage area of ​​the air conditioner's cooling or heating). If there are no people in the current environment, the operating energy consumption and operating time of the air conditioner can be calculated directly using the maximum air volume.

[0127] Reference Figure 8As shown, in step S200, after obtaining multiple sets of operating energy consumption and operating time data, the method for selecting the lowest operating energy consumption can refer to the following steps:

[0128] Step S230: Discard runtime that is greater than the time difference between the current time and the target time;

[0129] Step S240: Select the runtime with the lowest corresponding operating energy consumption from the remaining runtime as the target runtime;

[0130] Step S250: Determine the corresponding target supply air temperature based on the target runtime.

[0131] Calculate the time difference between the current time and the target time. Then, from multiple sets of energy consumption and runtime data, filter out data whose runtime exceeds the time difference. Select the data with the lowest energy consumption as the target from the remaining data to obtain the lowest energy consumption, the corresponding target runtime, and the target supply air temperature. Of course, there may be two or more cases with the lowest energy consumption. In this case, the air conditioner can randomly select a set of data from these lowest energy consumption data, or select a set of data based on the shortest runtime.

[0132] Another situation exists where the user-set target time is too close to the current time, potentially causing the air conditioner to not have enough time to adjust the indoor temperature to the set temperature under the current conditions. In this case, refer to... Figure 9 As shown, the following steps S260 can be performed:

[0133] Step S260: When the total runtime exceeds the time difference between the current time and the target time, control the air conditioner to start at the maximum supply air temperature.

[0134] Finally, the data generated during the air conditioner's operation can be stored as historical data for reference. Figure 10 As shown, this is achieved through the following steps:

[0135] Step S310: After controlling the air conditioner to start at the target supply air temperature, record the ambient temperature and operating parameters corresponding to this operation of the air conditioner;

[0136] Step S320: Store the ambient temperature and operating parameters corresponding to this operation into historical operating data.

[0137] Depending on where the historical operating data is stored, the air conditioner will store the current operating parameters in different locations. For example, if the historical operating data is stored in local storage, the current operating parameters will be stored directly in local storage; if the historical operating data is stored in a cloud server, the air conditioner will upload the current operating parameters to the cloud server.

[0138] Through the steps described above, given the user's target arrival time at the air conditioner's location, the air conditioner calculates the operating energy consumption and runtime at different supply air temperatures based on the ambient temperature and historical operating data. Then, prioritizing energy conservation, it selects the corresponding target runtime and target supply air temperature. Finally, based on the target runtime, target time, and current time, the air conditioner starts at the target supply air temperature. Using this method, the user only needs to set their arrival time, and the air conditioner can automatically determine when to turn on and for how long, and automatically set the supply air temperature, ensuring that the indoor temperature reaches the user's set temperature just before the user's specified arrival time. This guarantees that the indoor temperature meets the user's requirements and avoids the energy waste that can occur if the air conditioner is turned on prematurely.

[0139] Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention also provide a controller, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the control method as described above.

[0140] Reference Figure 11 For example, the control processor 1001 and memory 1002 in controller 1000 can be connected via a bus. Memory 1002, as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, can be used to store non-transitory software programs and non-transitory computer-executable programs. Furthermore, memory 1002 may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-transitory memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-transitory solid-state storage device. In some embodiments, memory 1002 may optionally include memory remotely located relative to control processor 1001, and these remote memories can be connected to controller 1000 via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, corporate intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0141] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 11 The device structure shown does not constitute a limitation on the controller 1000 and may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0142] In addition, this embodiment of the invention also provides an air conditioner, including the controller 1000 described above. The controller executes the control method described above to automatically determine the start-up time, running time and operating energy consumption when the user sets the arrival time, so as to provide a good user experience.

[0143] Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing the aforementioned control method, for example, being... Figure 11 One of the processors 1001 executes, which can cause the one or more processors to execute the control method in the above method embodiment, for example, to execute the above-described control method. Figure 1 Method steps S100 to S200 Figure 2 Method steps S110 to S120 Figure 3 Method steps S210 to S220, Figure 4 Method steps S130 to S140 Figure 5 Method steps S141 to S143, Figure 6 Method steps S1421 to S1423, Figure 7 Method steps S1411 to S1412, Figure 8 Method steps S230 to S250 Figure 9 Method steps S260 and Figure 10 Method steps S310 to S320.

[0144] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network nodes. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0145] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or some of the steps and systems in the methods disclosed above can be implemented as software, firmware, hardware, and suitable combinations thereof. Some or all of the physical components can be implemented as software executed by a processor, such as a central processing unit, digital signal processor, or microprocessor, or as hardware, or as an integrated circuit, such as an application-specific integrated circuit. Such software can be distributed on a computer-readable medium, which can include computer-readable storage media (or non-transitory media) and communication media (or transient media). As is known to those skilled in the art, the term computer-readable storage media includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information (such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data). Computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile disc (DVD) or other optical disc storage, magnetic cartridges, magnetic tape, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store desired information and is accessible to a computer. Furthermore, as is known to those skilled in the art, communication media typically contain computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in modulated data signals such as carrier waves or other transmission mechanisms, and may include any information delivery medium.

[0146] The above is a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this application. However, this application is not limited to the above embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make various equivalent modifications or substitutions without departing from the spirit of this application. All such equivalent modifications or substitutions are included within the scope defined by the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A control method for early start-up of an air conditioner, characterized in that, include: The ambient temperature and current time are obtained. Based on the ambient temperature and historical operating data, the operating energy consumption and operating time required to bring the indoor temperature to the set temperature under different supply air temperatures are determined. The lowest operating energy consumption is selected and the target operating time and target supply air temperature corresponding to the lowest operating energy consumption are determined. Based on the target runtime, target time, and current time, the air conditioner is controlled to start at the target supply air temperature, where the target time is used to characterize the arrival time set by the user. The step of determining the operating energy consumption and operating time required to reach the set temperature at different supply air temperatures based on the ambient temperature and historical operating data includes: The indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor / outdoor thermal resistance coefficient are determined based on the ambient temperature and historical operating data. The operating energy consumption and operating time required to achieve the set temperature at different supply air temperatures are determined based on the ambient temperature, the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient, and the indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficients.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The acquisition of ambient temperature and current time includes: Receive a reservation start instruction, the reservation start instruction carrying the target time; The ambient temperature and the current time are obtained at preset time intervals.

3. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ambient temperature includes indoor temperature and outdoor temperature; determining the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and indoor / outdoor thermal resistance coefficient based on the ambient temperature and historical operating data includes: Based on the indoor temperature, the outdoor temperature, the set temperature, and the set air volume, historical operating data is queried to obtain the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient and the indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficient.

4. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The historical operational data is stored in a local database and / or a cloud database.

5. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of determining the operating energy consumption and operating time required to reach the set temperature at different supply air temperatures based on the ambient temperature, the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient, and the indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficients includes: Several air supply temperatures are determined based on the difference between the maximum air supply temperature of the air conditioner and the set temperature. For each of the aforementioned air supply temperatures, the operating time and operating power are obtained based on the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient, the indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficients, the ambient temperature, the set temperature, and the set air supply volume. The operating energy consumption at different supply air temperatures is determined based on the operating power and the operating duration.

6. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The operating power is obtained in the following way: For each of the aforementioned air supply temperatures, the heat exchange is obtained based on the indoor specific heat capacity coefficient, the indoor and outdoor thermal resistance coefficients, the indoor temperature, and the preset air supply volume; The compressor frequency is obtained based on the heat exchange rate, the indoor temperature, the outdoor temperature, and a preset heat exchange rate fitting formula. The operating power is obtained based on the compressor frequency, the indoor temperature, the outdoor temperature, and a preset operating power fitting formula.

7. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The step of determining several air supply temperatures based on the difference between the maximum air supply temperature of the air conditioner and the set temperature includes: The difference between the maximum air supply temperature of the air conditioner and the set temperature is divided into an arithmetic sequence with n terms; n air supply temperatures are determined based on the common difference of the arithmetic sequence, where n is a positive integer.

8. The control method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The preset air volume is determined by one of the following methods: The preset air volume is determined based on the user's scheduled start command; After receiving the user's scheduled start command, if no one is detected within the air supply range, the maximum air supply volume of the air conditioner is used as the preset air supply volume.

9. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of selecting the minimum operating energy consumption and determining the target operating time and target supply air temperature corresponding to the minimum operating energy consumption includes: Discard runtime that is greater than the time difference between the current time and the target time; Select the runtime with the lowest corresponding operating energy consumption from the remaining runtime as the target runtime; The target supply air temperature is determined based on the target runtime.

10. The control method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Also includes: When the duration of all the above operations exceeds the time difference between the current time and the target time, the air conditioner is controlled to start at the maximum supply air temperature.

11. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: After controlling the air conditioner to start at the target air supply temperature, record the ambient temperature and operating parameters corresponding to this operation of the air conditioner; The ambient temperature and operating parameters corresponding to this operation are stored in the historical operation data.

12. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of controlling the air conditioner to start at the target supply air temperature based on the target runtime, target time, and current time includes: The estimated startup time is determined based on the target runtime and target time. When the time difference between the current time and the estimated start-up time is less than a preset duration threshold, the air conditioner is controlled to start at the target air supply temperature at the estimated start-up time.

13. A controller, characterized in that, It includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor, when executing the computer program, implements the control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. An air conditioner, characterized in that, Includes the controller as described in claim 13.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The device stores computer-executable instructions for performing the control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.

Images