Air conditioner, air conditioner controller, control method of air conditioner, and computer-readable recording medium

Abstract

The air conditioner may include an indoor controller configured to receive an operation command from a user and generate a plurality of first communication signals corresponding to the operation command; an outdoor unit; and a main controller configured to be connected to the indoor controller and the outdoor unit, receive the plurality of first communication signals, convert the plurality of first communication signals into a single second communication signal by combining the plurality of first communication signals, and transmit the single second communication signal to the outdoor unit to control an operation of the outdoor unit, wherein the outdoor unit is configured to receive the single second communication signal and operate based on the single second communication signal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioner and a method for controlling the air conditioner. Background Art

[0002] An air conditioner is a device for conditioning the air in an indoor space by cooling or heating the air using the transfer of heat generated by the evaporation and condensation of a refrigerant and discharging the cooled or heated air. The air conditioner can circulate the refrigerant through a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, and an outdoor heat exchanger during a cooling or heating operation, and cool or heat the indoor space by discharging the air that has exchanged heat in the indoor heat exchanger into the indoor space.

[0003] The air conditioner may include an indoor controller that generates a contact signal, and may control cooling or heating based on the contact signal input through the indoor controller. However, external input devices such as existing indoor controllers have limitations in being compatible with outdoor units with improved energy efficiency. Summary of the invention

[0004] Technical issues

[0005] The present disclosure is directed to providing an air conditioner, an apparatus for controlling an air conditioner, a method for controlling an air conditioner, and a computer-readable recording medium, which can allow an outdoor unit to be replaced with an outdoor unit with improved energy efficiency without replacing an indoor controller and an indoor unit.

[0006] The technical objectives that can be achieved by the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned objectives, and other technical objectives not mentioned will be clearly understood by ordinary technicians in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs from the following description.

[0007] Technical Solution

[0008] According to an embodiment, an air conditioner may include an indoor controller configured to receive an operation command from a user and generate a plurality of first communication signals corresponding to the operation command. The air conditioner may include a main controller configured to be connected to the indoor controller, receive a plurality of first communication signals, and convert the plurality of first communication signals into a single second communication signal by combining the plurality of first communication signals. The air conditioner may include an outdoor unit configured to be connected to the main controller, receive a single second communication signal, and operate based on the single second communication signal.

[0009] According to an embodiment, a device for controlling an air conditioner may include an indoor unit connection terminal configured to be connected to an indoor unit. The device may include an outdoor unit connection terminal configured to be connected to an outdoor unit. The device may include an indoor controller connection terminal configured to be connected to an indoor controller, the indoor controller being configured to obtain an operation command from a user and generate a plurality of first communication signals corresponding to the operation command. The device may include a controller configured to convert the plurality of first communication signals into a single second communication signal and send the single second communication signal to the outdoor unit.

[0010] According to the method for controlling an air conditioner of an embodiment, the indoor controller may receive an operation command from a user and generate a plurality of first communication signals corresponding to the operation command. A main controller connected to the indoor controller may receive the plurality of first communication signals and convert the plurality of first communication signals into a single second communication signal by combining the plurality of first communication signals. An outdoor unit connected to the main controller may receive a single second communication signal from the main controller and operate based on the single second communication signal.

[0011] According to a computer-readable recording medium of an embodiment, a program for implementing a method for controlling an air conditioner is stored, and an indoor controller can receive an operation command from a user and generate a plurality of first communication signals corresponding to the operation command. A main controller connected to the indoor controller can receive a plurality of first communication signals and convert the plurality of first communication signals into a single second communication signal by combining the plurality of first communication signals. An outdoor unit connected to the main controller can receive a single second communication signal from the main controller and operate based on the single second communication signal.

[0012] Beneficial Effects

[0013] According to the present disclosure, an inverter outdoor unit can be connected to an existing contact type air conditioner by adding a main controller to the existing contact type air conditioner, thereby improving compatibility and energy efficiency.

[0014] According to the embodiment, the functions of the indoor unit which cannot be provided in the existing contact type air conditioner can be provided, thereby improving user convenience.

[0015] According to the embodiment, the air conditioning fan, auxiliary heat source, and other air conditioning equipment can be controlled by delaying or blocking the communication signal, thereby improving user convenience. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 A configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment is shown.

[0017] Figure 2 is a control block diagram showing an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

[0018] Figure 3 A main controller according to an embodiment is shown.

[0019] Figure 4 The connection between the indoor controller and the contact terminals in the existing air conditioner is shown.

[0020] Figure 5 Connections between a main controller and components of an air conditioner according to an embodiment are shown.

[0021] Figure 6 It shows that a main controller of the air conditioner according to an embodiment determines data of an outdoor unit output signal.

[0022] Figure 7 A process of controlling a defrost operation by a main controller according to an embodiment is shown.

[0023] Figure 8 is an operational flowchart illustrating determining an operation mode of an outdoor unit by a main controller in an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

[0024] Fig. 9 is an operational flowchart illustrating determining an operation of an indoor unit by a main controller in an air conditioner according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Various embodiments and terms used herein are not intended to limit the technology disclosed herein to a specific form, and the present disclosure should be construed to include various modifications, equivalents, and / or substitutes of the corresponding embodiments.

[0026] In describing the drawings, the same reference numerals may be used to denote the same constituent elements.

[0027] Unless otherwise indicated herein or unless clearly indicated otherwise by the context, a singular expression may include a plural expression.

[0028] The terms "A or B", "at least one of A or / and B", "one or more of A or / and B", "A, B or C", "at least one of A, B or / and C", or "one or more of A, B or / and C", etc. as used herein may include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated items listed.

[0029] The term "and / or" includes plural combinations of related items or any one of a plurality of related items.

[0030] Herein, the terms “first”, “second”, “the first”, “the second”, etc. may be used simply to distinguish one element from other elements, but are not limited to any other aspects (for example, importance or order) of the elements.

[0031] When an element (eg, a first element) is referred to as being “(functionally or communicatively) coupled” or “connected” to another element (eg, a second element), the first element may be connected to the second element directly (eg, wired), wirelessly, or through a third element.

[0032] In the present disclosure, the terms "including", "having" and the like are used to specify features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components or a combination thereof, but do not exclude the existence or addition of one or more features, elements, steps, operations, elements, components or a combination thereof.

[0033] When an element is referred to as being “connected,” “coupled,” “supported” or “contacting” another element, this includes not only the case where the elements are directly connected, coupled, supported or contacting, but also the case where the elements are indirectly connected, coupled, supported or contacting via a third element.

[0034] Throughout the specification, when an element is “on” another element, this includes not only a case where the element is in contact with the other element but also a case where other elements are present between the two elements.

[0035] The air conditioner 1 according to various embodiments is a device that performs functions such as air purification, ventilation, humidity control, cooling, or heating in an air-conditioned space (hereinafter, referred to as an "indoor space"), and specifically is a device having at least one of these functions.

[0036] According to an embodiment, the air conditioner 1 may include a heat pump device that performs a cooling function or a heating function. The heat pump device may include a refrigeration cycle in which a refrigerant circulates through a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion device, and a second heat exchanger. All components of the heat pump device may be embedded in a housing that forms the appearance of the air conditioner, including a window air conditioner or a portable air conditioner. On the other hand, some components of the heat pump device may be divided and embedded in multiple housings that form a single air conditioner, including a wall-mounted air conditioner, a vertical air conditioner, and a system air conditioner.

[0037] The air conditioner 1 including a plurality of housings may include at least one outdoor unit 20 installed outdoors and at least one indoor unit 30 installed indoors. For example, the air conditioner 1 may be configured in a manner that a single outdoor unit 20 and a single indoor unit 30 are connected by a refrigerant pipe. Alternatively, the air conditioner 1 may be configured in a manner that a single outdoor unit 20 is connected to two or more indoor units 30 by a refrigerant pipe. Alternatively, the air conditioner 1 may be configured in a manner that two or more outdoor units 20 and two or more indoor units 30 are connected by a plurality of refrigerant pipes.

[0038] The outdoor unit 20 may be electrically connected to the indoor unit 30. For example, information (or a command) for controlling the air conditioner 1 may be received through an input interface provided in the outdoor unit 20 or the indoor unit 30. The outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30 may operate simultaneously or sequentially in response to user input.

[0039] The air conditioner 1 may include an outdoor heat exchanger provided in the outdoor unit 20 , an indoor heat exchanger provided in the indoor unit 30 , and a refrigerant pipe connecting the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger.

[0040] The outdoor heat exchanger may be configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and the outdoor air through a phase change (e.g., evaporation or condensation) of the refrigerant. For example, when the refrigerant condenses in the outdoor heat exchanger, the refrigerant may radiate heat to the outdoor air. When the refrigerant flowing in the outdoor heat exchanger evaporates, the refrigerant may absorb heat from the outdoor air.

[0041] The indoor unit 30 is installed indoors. For example, the indoor unit 30 may be classified into a ceiling type indoor unit, a vertical type indoor unit, a wall-mounted type indoor unit, etc., according to a method of disposing the indoor unit 30. For example, the ceiling type indoor unit may be classified into a four-way type indoor unit, a single-way type indoor unit, a duct type indoor unit, etc., according to a method of exhausting air.

[0042] As described above, the indoor heat exchanger may be configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and the indoor air through a phase change (e.g., evaporation or condensation) of the refrigerant. For example, when the refrigerant in the indoor unit 30 evaporates, the refrigerant may absorb heat from the indoor air. The indoor space may be cooled by blowing the indoor air cooled by the cooled indoor heat exchanger. When the refrigerant condenses in the indoor heat exchanger, the refrigerant may radiate heat to the indoor air. The indoor space may be heated by blowing the indoor air heated by the high-temperature indoor heat exchanger.

[0043] In other words, the air conditioner 1 can perform a cooling or heating function through a phase change process of a refrigerant circulating between an outdoor heat exchanger and an indoor heat exchanger. In order to circulate the refrigerant, the air conditioner 1 may include a compressor for compressing the refrigerant. The compressor may inhale refrigerant gas through an inlet and compress the refrigerant gas. The compressor may discharge high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas through an outlet. The compressor may be disposed inside the outdoor unit 20.

[0044] Through the refrigerant pipe, the refrigerant may circulate sequentially through the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, the expansion device, and the indoor heat exchanger, or sequentially through the compressor, the indoor heat exchanger, the expansion device, and the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0045] For example, in the air conditioner 1, when the single outdoor unit 20 and the single indoor unit 30 are directly connected through the refrigerant pipe, the refrigerant may circulate between the single outdoor unit 20 and the single indoor unit 30 through the refrigerant pipe.

[0046] For example, in the air conditioner 1, when a single outdoor unit 20 is connected to two or more indoor units 30 through a refrigerant pipe, the refrigerant may flow from the single outdoor unit 20 to the plurality of indoor units 30 through the branched refrigerant pipe. Refrigerants discharged from the plurality of indoor units 30 may be combined and circulated to the outdoor unit 20. For example, each of the plurality of indoor units 30 may be directly connected in parallel to the single outdoor unit 20 through a separate refrigerant pipe.

[0047] Each of the plurality of indoor units 30 may be independently operated according to an operation mode set by a user. In other words, some of the plurality of indoor units 30 may be operated in a cooling mode, while other of the plurality of indoor units 30 may be operated in a heating mode. At this time, the refrigerant may be selectively introduced into each indoor unit 30 in a high pressure state or a low pressure state, discharged, and circulated to the outdoor unit 20 along a circulation path specified by a flow path switching valve described later.

[0048] For example, in the air conditioner 1, when two or more outdoor units 20 and two or more indoor units 30 are connected by multiple refrigerant pipes, the refrigerants discharged from the multiple outdoor units 20 can be combined and flow through one refrigerant pipe, and then divided again at a certain point and introduced into the multiple indoor units 30.

[0049] All of the plurality of outdoor units 20 may be driven, or at least some of the plurality of outdoor units 20 may not be driven according to a driving load based on the operation amount of the plurality of indoor units 30. At this time, through the flow path switching valve, refrigerant may be provided to be introduced and circulated to the selectively driven outdoor unit 20. The air conditioner 1 may include an expansion device to reduce the pressure of the refrigerant flowing into the heat exchanger. For example, the expansion device may be provided inside the indoor unit 30 or inside the outdoor unit 20, or inside the indoor unit 30 and the outdoor unit 20.

[0050] The expansion device may reduce the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant by using a throttling effect. The expansion device may include an orifice configured to reduce the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path. The temperature and pressure of the refrigerant passing through the orifice may be reduced.

[0051] For example, the expansion device may be implemented as an electronic expansion valve configured to adjust an opening ratio (a ratio of a cross-sectional area of ​​a flow path of the valve in a partially open state to a cross-sectional area of ​​a flow path of the valve in a fully open state). According to the opening ratio of the electronic expansion valve, the amount of refrigerant passing through the expansion device may be adjusted.

[0052] The air conditioner 1 may further include a flow path switching valve disposed on the refrigerant circulation path. For example, the flow path switching valve may include a four-way valve. The flow path switching valve may determine the refrigerant circulation path according to an operation mode (e.g., cooling operation or heating operation) of the indoor unit 30. The flow path switching valve may be connected to an outlet of the compressor.

[0053] The air conditioner 1 may include an accumulator. The accumulator may be connected to an inlet of the compressor. Low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant evaporated in the indoor heat exchanger or the outdoor heat exchanger may flow into the accumulator.

[0054] When a refrigerant mixture of refrigerant liquid and refrigerant gas is introduced, the accumulator may separate the refrigerant liquid from the refrigerant gas and supply the refrigerant gas separated from the refrigerant liquid to the compressor.

[0055] The outdoor fan may be disposed near the outdoor heat exchanger and may blow outdoor air to the outdoor heat exchanger to promote heat exchange between the refrigerant and the outdoor air.

[0056] The outdoor unit 20 of the air conditioner 1 may include at least one sensor. For example, the sensor of the outdoor unit 20 (hereinafter, referred to as the outdoor unit 20 sensor) may be set as an environmental sensor. The outdoor unit 20 sensor may be set at a certain position inside or outside the outdoor unit 20. For example, the outdoor unit 20 sensor may include a temperature sensor configured to detect the air temperature around the outdoor unit 20, a humidity sensor configured to detect the air humidity around the outdoor unit 20, a refrigerant temperature sensor configured to detect the refrigerant temperature in the refrigerant pipe passing through the outdoor unit 20, or a refrigerant pressure sensor configured to detect the refrigerant pressure in the refrigerant pipe passing through the outdoor unit 20.

[0057] The outdoor unit 20 of the air conditioner 1 may include a communication circuit 100 of the outdoor unit 20 (hereinafter, referred to as the outdoor unit 20 communication circuit 100). The outdoor unit 20 communication circuit 100 may be configured to receive a control signal from a controller 110 of the indoor unit 30 of the air conditioner 1 to be described later (hereinafter, referred to as the indoor unit 30 controller 110). Based on the control signal received through the outdoor unit 20 communication circuit 100, the outdoor unit 20 may control the operation of a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion device, a flow path switching valve, an accumulator, or an outdoor fan. The outdoor unit 20 may send a sensing value detected by a sensor of the outdoor unit 20 to the indoor unit 30 controller 110 through the outdoor unit 20 communication circuit 100.

[0058] The indoor unit 30 of the air conditioner 1 may include a housing, a fan configured to circulate air inside or outside the housing, and an indoor heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with the air introduced into the housing.

[0059] The housing may include an inlet through which indoor air may flow into the housing.

[0060] The indoor unit 30 of the air conditioner 1 may include a filter configured to filter foreign matter from air introduced into the interior of the housing through the inlet.

[0061] The housing may include an outlet. The air flowing inside the housing may be discharged to the outside of the housing through the outlet.

[0062] An airflow guide configured to guide the direction of air discharged through the outlet may be provided in the housing of the indoor unit 30. For example, the airflow guide may include a blade positioned in the outlet. For example, the airflow guide may include an auxiliary fan for adjusting the exhaust airflow, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the airflow guide may be omitted.

[0063] An indoor heat exchanger and a fan arranged on a flow path connecting the inlet and the outlet may be provided inside a housing of the indoor unit 30 .

[0064] The fan may include an indoor fan and a fan motor. For example, the indoor fan may include an axial flow fan, a mixed flow fan, a cross flow fan, and a centrifugal fan.

[0065] The indoor heat exchanger may be arranged between the fan and the outlet, or between the inlet and the fan. The indoor heat exchanger may absorb heat from the air introduced through the inlet, or transfer heat to the air introduced through the inlet. The indoor heat exchanger may include a heat exchange tube through which the refrigerant flows, and a heat exchange fin in contact with the heat exchange tube to increase the heat transfer area.

[0066] The indoor unit 30 of the air conditioner 1 may include a drain pan disposed below the indoor heat exchanger to collect condensed water generated in the indoor heat exchanger. The condensed water contained in the drain pan may be discharged to the outside through a drain hose. The drain pan may be configured to support the indoor heat exchanger.

[0067] The indoor unit 30 of the air conditioner 1 may include an input interface. The input interface may include any type of user input device including buttons, switches, touch screens and / or touch pads. The user may directly input setting data (e.g., desired indoor temperature, cooling / heating / dehumidification / air cleaning operation mode settings, outlet selection settings and / or air volume settings) through the input interface.

[0068] The input interface can be connected to an external input device. For example, the input interface can be electrically connected to a wired remote controller. The wired remote controller can be installed at a specific location in the indoor space (e.g., a portion of a wall). The user can input setting data related to the operation of the air conditioner 1 by manipulating the wired remote controller. An electrical signal corresponding to the setting data obtained by the wired remote controller can be sent to the input interface. In addition, the input interface may include an infrared sensor. The user can remotely input setting data for the operation of the air conditioner by using a wireless remote controller. The setting data received by the wireless remote controller can be sent to the input interface as an infrared signal.

[0069] In addition, the input interface may include a microphone. The user's voice command may be obtained through the microphone. The microphone may convert the user's voice command into an electrical signal and send the electrical signal to the indoor unit 30 controller 110. The indoor unit 30 controller 110 may control the components of the air conditioner 1 to perform functions according to the user's voice command. The setting data obtained through the input interface (e.g., desired indoor temperature, cooling / heating / dehumidification / air cleaning operation mode setting, outlet selection setting, and / or air volume setting) may be sent to the indoor unit 30 controller 110 described later. For example, the setting data obtained through the input interface may be sent to the outside, i.e., to the outdoor unit 20 or the server, through the communication circuit 100 of the indoor unit 30 described later (hereinafter referred to as the indoor unit 30 communication circuit 100).

[0070] The indoor unit 30 of the air conditioner 1 may include a power module. The power module may be connected to an external power source to supply power to components of the indoor unit 30.

[0071] The indoor unit 30 of the air conditioner 1 may include an indoor unit sensor. The indoor unit sensor may be an environmental sensor disposed inside or outside the housing. For example, the indoor unit sensor may include one or more temperature sensors and / or humidity sensors disposed in a predetermined space inside or outside the housing of the indoor unit 30. For example, the indoor unit sensor may include a refrigerant temperature sensor configured to detect the refrigerant temperature of the refrigerant pipe passing through the indoor unit 30. For example, the indoor unit sensor may include a refrigerant temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of the inlet, middle portion, and / or outlet of the refrigerant pipe passing through the indoor heat exchanger.

[0072] For example, each item of environmental information detected by the indoor unit sensor may be transmitted to the indoor unit 30 controller 110 described later, or transmitted to the outside through the indoor unit 30 communication circuit 100 described later.

[0073] The indoor unit 30 of the air conditioner 1 may include an indoor unit 30 communication circuit 100. The indoor unit 30 communication circuit 100 may include at least one of a short-range wireless communication module or a long-range wireless communication module. The indoor unit 30 communication circuit 100 may include at least one antenna for wireless communication with other devices. The outdoor unit 20 may include an outdoor unit 20 communication circuit 100. The outdoor unit 20 communication circuit 100 may also include at least one of a short-range wireless communication module or a long-range wireless communication module.

[0074] The short-range wireless communication module may include a Bluetooth communication module, a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication module, a near field communication module, a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication module, a Zigbee communication module, an infrared data association (IrDA) communication module, a Wi-Fi direct (WFD) communication module, an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication module, an Ant+ communication module, a microwave (uWave) communication module, etc., but is not limited thereto.

[0075] The long-distance wireless communication module may include a communication module that performs various types of long-distance wireless communications and may include a mobile communication circuit that transmits and receives radio signals with at least one of a base station, an external terminal, or a server in a mobile communication network.

[0076] The indoor unit 30 communication circuit 100 can communicate with external devices such as servers, mobile devices, and other home appliances through an access point (AP). The AP can connect a local area network (LAN) to which the air conditioner 1 or the user device is connected to a wide area network (WAN) to which the server is connected. The air conditioner 1 or the user device can be connected to the server through the WAN. The indoor unit 30 of the air conditioner 1 may include an indoor unit 30 controller 110 configured to control components of the indoor unit 30 including a fan, etc. The outdoor unit 20 of the air conditioner 1 may include a controller of the outdoor unit 20 configured to control components of the outdoor unit 20 including a compressor, etc. (hereinafter referred to as the outdoor unit 20 controller 110). The indoor unit 30 controller 110 can communicate with the outdoor unit 20 controller 110 through the indoor unit 30 communication circuit 100 and the outdoor unit 20 communication circuit 100. The outdoor unit 20 communication circuit 100 can send a control signal generated by the outdoor unit 20 controller 110 to the indoor unit 30 communication circuit 100, or send a control signal sent from the indoor unit 30 communication circuit 100 to the outdoor unit 20 controller 110. In other words, the outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30 may perform bidirectional communication. The outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30 may transmit and receive various signals generated during operation of the air conditioner 1.

[0077] The outdoor unit 20 controller 110 can be electrically connected to the components of the outdoor unit 20, and can control the operation of each component. For example, the outdoor unit 20 controller 110 can adjust the frequency of the compressor and control the flow path switching valve to change the circulation direction of the refrigerant. The outdoor unit 20 controller 110 can adjust the rotation speed of the outdoor fan. In addition, the outdoor unit 20 controller 110 can generate a control signal for adjusting the opening degree of the expansion valve. Under the control of the outdoor unit 20 controller 110, the refrigerant can circulate along the refrigerant circulation loop including the compressor, the flow path switching valve, the outdoor heat exchanger, the expansion valve and the indoor heat exchanger.

[0078] Various temperature sensors included in the outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30 may transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the detected temperature to the outdoor unit 20 controller 110 and / or the indoor unit 30 controller 110. For example, humidity sensors included in the outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30 may transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the detected humidity to the outdoor unit 20 controller 110 and / or the indoor unit 30 controller 110, respectively.

[0079] The indoor unit 30 controller 110 may obtain user input from a user device including a mobile device through the indoor unit 30 communication circuit 100, or directly obtain user input through an input interface or a remote controller. The indoor unit 30 controller 110 may control components of the indoor unit 30 including the fan in response to the received user input. The indoor unit 30 controller 110 may send information related to the received user input to the outdoor unit 20 controller 110 of the outdoor unit 20.

[0080] The outdoor unit 20 controller 110 may control components of the outdoor unit 20 including the compressor based on information related to the user input received from the indoor unit 30. For example, when a control signal corresponding to a user input for selecting an operation mode such as a cooling operation, a heating operation, a fan operation, a defrosting operation, or a dehumidifying operation is received from the indoor unit 30, the outdoor unit 20 controller 110 may control the components of the outdoor unit 20 to perform an operation of the air conditioner 1 corresponding to the selected operation mode.

[0081] The outdoor unit 20 controller 110 and the indoor unit 30 controller 110 may each include a processor and a memory. The indoor unit 30 controller 110 may include at least one first processor and at least one first memory, and the outdoor unit 20 controller 110 may include at least one second processor and at least one second memory.

[0082] The memory may memorize / store various types of information required for the operation of the air conditioner 1. The memory may store instructions, applications, data and / or programs required for the operation of the air conditioner 1. For example, the memory may store various programs for the cooling operation, heating operation, dehumidification operation and / or defrosting operation of the air conditioner. The memory may include a volatile memory for temporary storage of data, such as a static random access memory (S-RAM) and a dynamic random access memory (D-RAM). In addition, the memory may include a non-volatile memory for long-term storage of data, such as a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), and an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).

[0083] The processor may generate a control signal for controlling the operation of the air conditioner 1 based on the instructions, applications, data and / or programs stored in the memory. The processor may be hardware and may include a logic circuit and an arithmetic circuit. The processor may process data according to the program and / or instructions provided from the memory and may generate a control signal according to the processing result. The memory and the processor may be implemented as one control circuit or multiple circuits.

[0084] The indoor unit 30 of the air conditioner 1 may include an output interface. The output interface may be electrically connected to the indoor unit 30 controller 110, and output information related to the operation of the air conditioner under the control of the indoor unit 30 controller 110. For example, the output interface may output information such as an operation mode, wind direction, wind volume, and temperature selected by a user input. In addition, the output interface may output sensing information obtained from the indoor unit 30 sensor or the outdoor unit 20 sensor, and output a warning / error message.

[0085] The output interface may include a display and a speaker. The speaker may be a sound device configured to output various sounds. The display may display information input by a user or provided to a user as various graphic elements. For example, the operation information of the air conditioner may be displayed as at least one of an image or text. In addition, the display may include an indicator that provides specific information. The display may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a light emitting diode (LED) panel, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel, a micro LED panel, and / or a plurality of LEDs.

[0086] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0087] Figure 1 A configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment is shown.

[0088] refer to Figure 1 The air conditioner 1 includes an outdoor unit 20 disposed in an outdoor space for performing heat exchange between outdoor air and a refrigerant, and an indoor unit 30 disposed in an indoor space for performing heat exchange between indoor air and a refrigerant. The outdoor unit 20 may be located outside the air-conditioned space, and the indoor unit 30 may be located in the air-conditioned space. The air-conditioned space refers to a space that is cooled or heated by the air conditioner 1. For example, the outdoor unit 20 may be placed outside a building, and the indoor unit 30 may be placed in a space separated from the outside by a wall (e.g., a living room or an office).

[0089] As described above, the outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30 may be connected by an external pipe. The refrigerant may circulate through the outdoor unit 20, the external pipe, and the indoor unit 30. One end of the external pipe may be connected to a pipe valve located at one side of the outdoor unit 20. In addition, the external pipe may be connected to the refrigerant pipes provided inside the outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30.

[0090] The refrigerant may circulate to the indoor unit 30 and the outdoor unit 20 along the refrigerant flow path, and absorb or dissipate heat by changing the state (e.g., changing the state from gas to liquid or from liquid to gas). The air conditioner 1 may include a liquid pipe connecting the indoor unit 30 and the outdoor unit 20 and serving as a passage for the liquid refrigerant to flow, and a gas pipe serving as a passage for the gaseous refrigerant to flow. The liquid pipe and the gas pipe may extend to the inside of the outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30.

[0091] The outdoor unit 20 may include a compressor configured to compress refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger configured to perform heat exchange between outdoor air and the refrigerant, a four-way valve configured to guide the refrigerant compressed by the compressor to the outdoor heat exchanger or the indoor heat exchanger based on a cooling operation or a heating operation, an expansion valve configured to decompress the refrigerant, and an accumulator configured to prevent liquid refrigerant that has not yet evaporated from flowing into the compressor.

[0092] The compressor may be operated using electric energy provided from an external power source. The compressor includes a compressor motor, and compresses a low-pressure gaseous refrigerant into a high pressure by using the rotational force of the compressor motor. The operating frequency of the compressor may be changed to correspond to the capacity required by the indoor unit 30. The compressor may be an inverter air compressor, a positive displacement compressor, or a dynamic compressor, and various types of compressors that a designer may consider may be used.

[0093] The indoor unit 30 may include an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor fan. The indoor heat exchanger performs heat exchange between indoor air and refrigerant. The indoor fan may cause indoor air to flow into the indoor heat exchanger. A plurality of indoor fans may be provided. An indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor may be provided on both sides (inlet and outlet) of the indoor heat exchanger to detect the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger. The indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor may be installed around the inlet and / or outlet of the indoor heat exchanger, or may be installed to contact the refrigerant pipe connected to the inlet and / or outlet of the indoor heat exchanger. An indoor temperature sensor for detecting the indoor temperature may be provided inside the indoor unit 30. The temperature sensor may be implemented with at least one of a bimetallic thermometer, a thermistor thermometer, or an infrared thermometer. In addition to the above, the air conditioner 1 may also include various types of temperature sensors.

[0094] During the cooling operation, the refrigerant may dissipate heat in the outdoor heat exchanger of the outdoor unit 20 and absorb heat in the indoor heat exchanger of the indoor unit 30. During the cooling operation, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor of the outdoor unit 20 may first be supplied to the outdoor heat exchanger through the four-way valve, and then may be supplied to the indoor heat exchanger of the indoor unit 30 through the expansion valve. During the cooling operation, the outdoor heat exchanger operates as a condenser for condensing the refrigerant, and the indoor heat exchanger operates as an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant. During the cooling operation, the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor moves to the outdoor heat exchanger. The liquid or nearly liquid refrigerant condensed in the outdoor heat exchanger expands and decompresses in the expansion valve. The two-phase refrigerant passing through the expansion valve moves to the indoor heat exchanger. The refrigerant introduced into the indoor heat exchanger exchanges heat with the ambient air and evaporates. As a result, the temperature of the ambient air after the heat exchange is reduced, and the cold air is discharged to the outside of the indoor unit 30.

[0095] During the heating operation, the refrigerant may dissipate heat in the indoor heat exchanger and absorb heat in the outdoor heat exchanger. That is, during the heating operation, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor may first be supplied to the indoor heat exchanger through the four-way valve, and then may be supplied to the outdoor heat exchanger. In this case, the indoor heat exchanger operates as a condenser for condensing the refrigerant, and the outdoor heat exchanger operates as an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant. During the heating operation, the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor moves to the indoor heat exchanger. The high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger exchanges heat with the low-temperature dry air. The refrigerant is condensed into a liquid or nearly liquid refrigerant to dissipate heat, and as the air absorbs heat, the heated air is discharged to the outside of the indoor unit 30.

[0096] Although it has been described that the air conditioner 1 includes a single outdoor unit 20 and a single indoor unit 30, the air conditioner 1 may include a plurality of outdoor units 20 and a plurality of indoor units 30. For example, a plurality of indoor units 30 may be connected to a single outdoor unit 20. In addition, the shape of the indoor unit 30 is not limited to the above-mentioned shape. Any type of indoor unit 30 may be used as long as the indoor unit 30 is installed in the indoor space and can cool or heat the indoor space.

[0097] In addition, the air conditioner 1 may include an indoor controller 10 and a main controller 2. The main controller 2 may be electrically connected to the outdoor unit 20, the indoor unit 30, and the indoor controller 10. The outdoor unit 20, the indoor unit 30, and the indoor controller 10 may be connected to the main controller 2 by wires. The indoor controller 10 may also be referred to as a "contact controller".

[0098] The indoor controller 10 may obtain user input. The indoor controller 10 may obtain user input related to indoor temperature setting or heating / cooling. The main controller 2 may receive a plurality of first communication signals corresponding to the user input from the indoor controller 10.

[0099] The main controller 2 may control the operation of the outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30. The main controller 2 may operate the outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30 in response to a user input input through the indoor controller 10. The main controller 2 may control the operation of the air conditioner 1 based on the received electrical signal.

[0100] The main controller 2 may be used as an adapter for connecting various types of outdoor units 20 to the air conditioner 1. The main controller 2 may be configured to control outdoor units 20 manufactured by the same manufacturer as the manufacturer of the outdoor unit 20 and outdoor units 20 manufactured by different manufacturers, and / or outdoor units 20 having different communication protocols.

[0101] Figure 2 is a control block diagram showing an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

[0102] refer to Figure 2 The air conditioner 1 may include a main controller 2 , an outdoor unit 20 , an indoor unit 30 , and an indoor controller 10 , and the main controller 2 may include a controller 110 and a communicator 100 , and the controller 110 includes a memory 112 and a processor 111 .

[0103] The memory 112 of the main controller 2 may memorize / store various information required to operate the air conditioner 1. The memory 112 may store instructions, applications, data, and programs for operating the air conditioner 1. As described above, the memory 112 may include a volatile memory for temporary data storage (e.g., a static random access memory (SRAM) or a dynamic random access memory (DRAM)), and a non-volatile memory for long-term data storage (e.g., a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), and an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)).

[0104] The processor 111 of the main controller 2 may generate a control signal for controlling the operation of the air conditioner 1 based on the instructions, applications, data, and programs stored in the memory 112. The processor 111 is hardware and may include a logic circuit and an arithmetic circuit. The processor 111 may process data according to the program and / or instructions provided from the memory 112 and generate a control signal according to the result of the processing. The memory 112 and the processor 111 may be implemented as one control circuit or a plurality of circuits.

[0105] The main controller 2 may receive a plurality of first communication signals transmitted from the indoor controller 10 and determine the operation of the outdoor unit 20 and / or the indoor unit 30. The first communication signal may include a contact signal generated from the contact controller, and the contact signal refers to a signal indicating whether the contact formed by the switch is open or closed.

[0106] The controller 110 of the main controller 2 may include a signal converter configured to convert the received multiple first communication signals into a single second communication signal by combining the received multiple first communication signals. In this case, the controller 110 may combine the signals in the turned-on state among the multiple first communication signals to convert them into the second communication signal.

[0107] The second communication signal may include a Recommended Standard (RS) 485 signal corresponding to an RS 485 communication standard, and may also include a communication signal conforming to a communication standard different from that of the first communication signal.

[0108] The controller 110 may transmit the second communication signal to the outdoor unit 20 and determine the operation of the outdoor unit 20, and the outdoor unit 20 may operate based on the second communication signal. Therefore, even if the previously used outdoor unit 20 is replaced by a different type of outdoor unit 20, the air conditioner 1 according to the embodiment may ensure compatibility.

[0109] The controller 110 may perform bidirectional communication with the outdoor unit 20 through the outdoor unit connection terminal 21 including a transmission terminal and a reception terminal. Specifically, the controller 110 may control the communicator 100 to transmit a second communication signal to the transmission terminal, and receive an operation signal related to the operation of the outdoor unit 20 from the reception terminal. Therefore, the controller 110 may determine the current operation state of the outdoor unit 20 and the control operation required for the outdoor unit 20. For example, the controller 110 may determine whether to enter a defrosting operation based on the operation signal of the outdoor unit 20.

[0110] The controller 110 may determine the operation of the indoor unit 30 based on the plurality of first communication signals, and may control the communicator 100 to transmit the determined operation of the indoor unit 30 to the indoor unit 30. Specifically, the controller 110 may determine the operation mode and set temperature of the indoor unit 30 corresponding to the plurality of first communication signals.

[0111] The controller 110 can also determine the operation of the indoor unit 30 by blocking the transmission of at least one of the plurality of first communication signals within a reference time period. For example, the controller 110 can block the G signal corresponding to the indoor fan signal among the plurality of first communication signals within a preset reference time period, thereby achieving an effective defrosting operation. Therefore, even if the indoor unit 30 is a different type of indoor unit other than an inverter indoor unit, the air conditioning fan, auxiliary heat source, and other air conditioning equipment can be controlled by delaying or blocking some signals.

[0112] In this case, the operation of the indoor unit 30 may include selecting one operation stage from a plurality of operation stages, and the plurality of operation stages may include low, medium, and high cooling and heating levels.

[0113] The communicator 100 of the main controller 2 may include a circuit for electrically connecting the outdoor unit 20, the indoor unit 30, and the indoor controller 10. For example, the communicator 100 may include a plurality of contact terminals connected to the indoor controller 10. The plurality of contact terminals may include an outdoor unit connection terminal 21 and an indoor unit connection terminal 31.

[0114] In addition, the communicator 100 may include a wired communicator 102 and / or a wireless communicator 101 to communicate with the outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30. The communicator 100 may transmit a control signal transmitted from the processor 111 to the outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30, or may transmit an electrical signal transmitted from the outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30 to the processor 111.

[0115] In addition, the communicator 100 can perform communication with an access point (AP, not shown) separately set in the air-conditioned space, and can be connected to a network through the access point. The communicator 100 can communicate with an external device (e.g., a smart phone) through the access point. The communicator 100 can receive information of an external device connected to the access point and send the information of the external device to the processor 111. Through the above, the user can remotely control the air conditioner 1.

[0116] The air conditioner 1 according to the embodiment may further include a remote controller (not shown). The remote controller may include an input device and a display. The input device of the remote controller may obtain a user input and output an electrical signal (voltage or current) corresponding to the user input to the main controller 2. For example, the remote controller may obtain a power on / off input for turning the air conditioner 1 on or off, an operation mode selection input for setting an operation mode of the air conditioner 1, and / or a temperature adjustment input for adjusting the indoor temperature.

[0117] The input device of the remote controller may be implemented as various buttons and / or dials. For example, the plurality of buttons may include a push switch operated by a user pressing, a membrane switch, and / or a touch switch operated by contacting a part of the user's body. The buttons may include an operation mode button for selecting an operation mode such as a cooling operation, a heating operation, and a fan operation, a temperature button for setting a target temperature of an indoor space (air-conditioned space), a wind direction button for setting a wind direction, and / or an air volume button for setting a wind level (rotation speed of an indoor fan). The button may also be implemented as a rotatable dial.

[0118] The display of the remote controller may display information related to the status and / or operation of the air conditioner 1. The display may display information input by the user or information provided to the user in various screens. The display may display information related to the operation of the air conditioner 1 as at least one of an image or text. In addition, the display may display a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows control of the air conditioner 1. That is, the display may display user interface elements (UI elements) such as icons.

[0119] The display of the remote controller may include various types of display panels. For example, the display may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a light emitting diode (LED) panel, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel, or a micro LED panel. The display may be implemented as a touch display. The touch display may include a display panel for displaying an image and a touch panel for receiving a touch input. In the case where the display is configured as a touch display, an input device may not be separately provided in the remote controller.

[0120] The indoor controller 10 may obtain user input. For example, the indoor controller 10 may obtain an operation mode selection input for selecting an operation mode and a temperature setting input for setting an indoor temperature. The indoor controller 10 may be a separate input device different from the remote controller. The indoor controller 10 may have a simpler structure than the remote controller. The indoor temperature setting or the current setting of the outdoor unit 20 may be simply input through the indoor controller 10.

[0121] The indoor controller 10 may include an operation mode input and an adjuster. The operation mode input and the adjuster may each be set as a rotatable dial, but is not limited thereto. The operation mode input and the adjuster may be set in various shapes. The operation mode input and the adjuster may include various buttons.

[0122] The operation mode input device may be set to select the operation mode of the air conditioner 1. The indoor controller 10 may send an electrical signal (operation mode selection signal) corresponding to the operation of the operation mode input device to the main controller 2. For example, the operation mode of the air conditioner 1 may include a cooling operation mode, a heating operation mode, and an automatic operation mode. The air conditioner 1 may operate in the operation mode selected by the manipulation of the operation mode input device. That is, the air conditioner 1 may perform a cooling operation, a heating operation, or an automatic operation. The user may select a power-off, a cooling operation, a heating operation, or an automatic operation by manipulating the operation mode input device.

[0123] The constituent components of the air conditioner 1 are not limited thereto. In addition to the constituent components of the aforementioned outdoor unit 20, other constituent components may be added to the air conditioner 1.

[0124] Figure 3 A main controller according to an embodiment is shown.

[0125] refer to Figure 3 , the main controller 2 may include a main circuit board 4 and a plurality of contact terminals 3. A memory 112 and a processor 111 may be mounted on the main circuit board 4. The processor 111 may be referred to as "Micom". In addition to the contact terminals 3, the communicator 100 may also communicate with external devices through a terminal block for connecting to other devices.

[0126] The outdoor unit 20, the indoor unit 30, and the indoor controller 10 may be connected to a plurality of contact terminals 3. The contact terminal 3 and each of the outdoor unit 20, the indoor unit 30, and the indoor controller 10 may be connected to each other through wires and / or cables.

[0127] For example, the outdoor unit 20 may be connected to the F1 terminal and the F2 terminal among the contact terminals 3. The main controller 2 may communicate with the outdoor unit 20 through the F1 terminal and the F2 terminal. For example, a signal generated by the processor 111 of the main controller 2 may be sent to the outdoor unit 20 through the F1 terminal, and a signal generated by the outdoor unit 20 may be sent to the processor 111 through the F2 terminal.

[0128] The indoor unit 30 may be connected to the TR terminal, the TEI terminal, and the TEO terminal among the contact terminals 3. As described above, the indoor unit 30 may include an indoor temperature sensor and an indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor. The signal generated by the indoor temperature sensor of the indoor unit 30 may be input to the processor 111 of the main controller 2 through the TR terminal. The signal generated by the indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor of the indoor unit 30 may be input to the processor 111 of the main controller 2 through the TEI terminal and the TEO terminal.

[0129] The remote controller can be connected to the F3 terminal and the F4 terminal among the contact terminals 3. The main controller 2 can communicate with the remote controller through the F3 terminal and the F4 terminal. For example, a signal generated by the processor 111 of the main controller 2 can be sent to the remote controller through the F3 terminal, and a signal generated by the remote controller can be sent to the processor 111 through the F4 terminal.

[0130] The indoor controller 10 may be connected to the COM terminal, the AUT terminal, the HP terminal, the CO terminal, the AV1 terminal, and the AV2 terminal among the contact terminals 3. The COM terminal, the AUT terminal, the HP terminal, and the CO terminal may be connected to an operation mode inputter of the indoor controller 10. The COM terminal may refer to a common terminal, an automatic operation signal may be input to the AUT terminal, a heating operation signal may be input to the HP terminal, and a cooling operation signal may be input to the CO terminal. A signal may be input to one of the AUT terminal, the HP terminal, or the CO terminal according to the operation of the operation mode inputter.

[0131] The AV1 terminal and the AV2 terminal may be connected to a regulator of the indoor controller 10. The AV1 terminal may be referred to as a first contact terminal, and the AV2 terminal may be referred to as a second contact terminal. The voltage of the signal applied to the first contact terminal (AV1 terminal) may vary according to the operation of the regulator. In other words, the voltage applied between the first contact terminal (AV1 terminal) and the second contact terminal (AV2) may vary according to the operation of the regulator. The main controller 2 may determine the target temperature of the indoor space or the maximum current applied to the outdoor unit 20 based on the voltage of the signal applied to the first contact terminal (AV1 terminal).

[0132] Figure 4 The connection between the indoor controller and the contact terminals in the existing air conditioner is shown.

[0133] refer to Figure 4 , unlike the present disclosure, the existing air conditioner 1 does not include the main controller 2 but is only provided with a contact signal line for sending and receiving a 24V alternating current (AC) contact signal.

[0134] Specifically, a first cooling terminal (Y1) for controlling cooling, a second cooling terminal (Y2) for more accurately controlling cooling, a first heating terminal (W1) for controlling heating, a second heating terminal (W2) for more accurately controlling heating, a fan terminal (G) for controlling an indoor fan, and a four-way valve terminal (O / B) for controlling a four-way valve can be set.

[0135] like Figure 4As shown, the indoor controller 10 of the existing air conditioner 1 can send contact signals corresponding to pre-designed contact signal lines to the outdoor unit 200 and the indoor unit 30, but a configuration for converting contact signals is not set in the existing air conditioner, and therefore, the outdoor unit that uses a communication method different from that of the outdoor unit 200 of the existing air conditioner 1 cannot be controlled.

[0136] That is, in order to replace the existing air conditioner with an inverter product having high energy efficiency, both the indoor unit 30 and the outdoor unit 200 need to be replaced, which increases the cost.

[0137] Therefore, the air conditioner 1 according to the embodiment is additionally provided with a main controller 2 connected to the indoor controller 10, the outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30, such as Figure 5 As shown below. Therefore, the communication signal can be converted to connect the outdoor unit 20 with improved efficiency with different types of air conditioners.

[0138] Specifically, the outdoor unit 20 according to the embodiment may include an inverter outdoor unit 20. Compared with the constant speed outdoor unit, the inverter outdoor unit 20 has improved energy efficiency. In response to reaching the set temperature during the operation of the air conditioner 1, the inverter outdoor unit 20 can save energy by maintaining the power saving mode.

[0139] Therefore, the air conditioner 1 according to the embodiment can connect the inverter outdoor unit 20 by adding the main controller 2 to the existing contact type air conditioner, thereby improving compatibility and energy efficiency.

[0140] Figure 5 Connections between a main controller and components of an air conditioner according to an embodiment are shown.

[0141] refer to Figure 5 , unlike the existing air conditioner, the contact signal line of the indoor controller 10 can be connected to the main controller 2. Specifically, the first cooling terminal (Y1), the second cooling terminal (Y2), the first heating terminal (W1), the second heating terminal (W2), the fan terminal (G) for controlling the indoor fan, and the four-way valve terminal (O / B) for controlling the four-way valve extending from the indoor controller 10 can be connected to the main controller 2 instead of being directly connected to the indoor unit 30 or the outdoor unit 20.

[0142] The main controller 2 may convert a first communication signal received from the indoor controller 10 to generate a second communication signal, may transmit the second communication signal to the outdoor unit 20, and may accurately control the operation of the indoor unit 30 by delaying or blocking the first communication signal.

[0143] Generally, an outdoor unit using a communication method different from that of the indoor controller 10 cannot be installed, but in the air conditioner 1 according to the embodiment, a signal can be converted according to the communication method. Therefore, even in the case where the outdoor unit 20 has a different communication method, the air conditioner 1 according to the embodiment can use the outdoor unit 20 using a different communication method. In addition, generally, an air conditioner fan, an auxiliary heat source, and other air conditioners cannot be accurately controlled by a contact communication method, but an air conditioner fan, an auxiliary heat source, and other air conditioners can be accurately controlled based on a signal blocking or delay of the main controller 2.

[0144] Specifically, the indoor controller 10 and the indoor unit 30 may send and receive a first communication signal by a first communication method of a contact communication method, but may not support a second communication method of RS 485 communication. In addition, the outdoor unit 20 may receive a second communication signal by a second communication method of RS 485 communication, but may not support a first communication method of contact-based communication. Here, supporting a communication method may refer to providing a connection terminal and a signal processing circuit for communicating by a corresponding communication method, and may refer to the sending and receiving of signals that can be performed by a corresponding communication method.

[0145] refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 The technical problems that can be solved by the main controller 2 are described in detail.

[0146] Figure 6 It shows that a main controller of the air conditioner according to an embodiment determines data of an outdoor unit output signal.

[0147] refer to Figure 6 In the table, a column corresponding to a 24V AC contact input signal corresponds to a plurality of first communication signals generated in response to a user operation command received in the indoor controller 10 .

[0148] As described above, from the left side of the table, each terminal indicates a humidification / dehumidification terminal (Dh / H) for controlling humidification and dehumidification, a four-way valve terminal (O / B), a second heating terminal (W2), a first heating terminal (W1), an indoor fan terminal (G), a second cooling terminal (Y2), and a first cooling terminal (Y1).

[0149] The controller 110 of the main controller 2 may receive a plurality of first communication signals received from each terminal from the indoor controller 10 , and the first communication signal may include two states, ON and OFF.

[0150] The controller 110 may generate the outdoor unit 485 communication output signal corresponding to the second communication signal by combining only the first communication signals in the ON state among the plurality of first communication signals.

[0151] Specifically, the controller 110 may determine the second communication signal as strong cooling wind (a) based on the signal from the humidification / dehumidification terminal (Dh / H) being in the OFF state, the signal from the four-way valve terminal (O / B) being in the OFF state, the signal from the second heating terminal (W2) being in the OFF state, the signal from the first heating terminal (W1) being in the OFF state, the signal from the indoor fan terminal (G) being in the ON state, the signal from the second cooling terminal (Y2) being in the ON state, and the signal from the first cooling terminal (Y1) being in the OFF state. That is, during the operation of the indoor fan and in response to the ON signal output from the second cooling terminal for precise control of cooling, the controller 110 may determine that the user desires strong cooling, and determine the second communication signal as strong cooling wind (a).

[0152] In addition, the controller 110 may determine the second communication signal as strong cooling wind (a) based on the signal from the humidification / dehumidification terminal (Dh / H) being in the OFF state, the signal from the four-way valve terminal (O / B) being in the OFF state, the signal from the second heating terminal (W2) being in the OFF state, the signal from the first heating terminal (W1) being in the OFF state, the signal from the indoor fan terminal (G) being in the ON state, the signal from the second cooling terminal (Y2) being in the ON state, and the signal from the first cooling terminal (Y1) being in the ON state. That is, during the operation of the indoor fan and in response to the ON signal output from the first cooling terminal for operating cooling and from the second cooling terminal for accurately controlling cooling, the controller 110 may determine that the user desires strong cooling, and determine the second communication signal as strong cooling wind (a).

[0153] In addition, the controller 110 may determine the second communication signal as strong cooling wind (a) based on the signal from the humidification / dehumidification terminal (Dh / H) being in the ON state, the signal from the four-way valve terminal (O / B) being in the OFF state, the signal from the second heating terminal (W2) being in the OFF state, the signal from the first heating terminal (W1) being in the OFF state, the signal from the indoor fan terminal (G) being in the ON state, the signal from the second cooling terminal (Y2) being in the ON state, and the signal from the first cooling terminal (Y1) being in the OFF state. That is, during the operation of the indoor fan and in response to the ON signal output from the second cooling terminal for precise control of cooling and from the humidification / dehumidification terminal for humidification / dehumidification, the controller 110 may determine that the user desires dehumidification with a strong cooling setting, and determine the second communication signal as strong cooling wind (a).

[0154] In addition, the controller 110 may determine the second communication signal as strong cooling wind (a) based on the signal from the humidification / dehumidification terminal (Dh / H) being in the ON state, the signal from the four-way valve terminal (O / B) being in the OFF state, the signal from the second heating terminal (W2) being in the OFF state, the signal from the first heating terminal (W1) being in the OFF state, the signal from the indoor fan terminal (G) being in the ON state, the signal from the second cooling terminal (Y2) being in the ON state, and the signal from the first cooling terminal (Y1) being in the ON state. That is, during the operation of the indoor fan and in response to the ON signal output from the first cooling terminal for operating cooling, from the second cooling terminal for precisely controlling cooling, and from the humidification / dehumidification terminal for humidification / dehumidification, the controller 110 may determine that the user desires dehumidification with a strong cooling setting, and determine the second communication signal as strong cooling wind (a).

[0155] In addition, the controller 110 may determine the second communication signal as weak cooling wind (b) based on the signal from the humidification / dehumidification terminal (Dh / H) being in the OFF state, the signal from the four-way valve terminal (O / B) being in the OFF state, the signal from the second heating terminal (W2) being in the OFF state, the signal from the first heating terminal (W1) being in the OFF state, the signal from the indoor fan terminal (G) being in the ON state, the signal from the second cooling terminal (Y2) being in the OFF state, and the signal from the first cooling terminal (Y1) being in the ON state. That is, during the operation of the indoor fan and in response to the ON signal output from the first cooling terminal for operating cooling, the controller 110 may determine that the user desires weak cooling, and determine the second communication signal as weak cooling wind (b).

[0156] In addition, the controller 110 determines the second communication signal as weak cooling wind (b) based on the signal from the humidification / dehumidification terminal (Dh / H) being in the ON state, the signal from the four-way valve terminal (O / B) being in the OFF state, the signal from the second heating terminal (W2) being in the OFF state, the signal from the first heating terminal (W1) being in the OFF state, the signal from the indoor fan terminal (G) being in the ON state, the signal from the second cooling terminal (Y2) being in the OFF state, and the signal from the first cooling terminal (Y1) being in the ON state. That is, during the operation of the indoor fan and in response to the ON signal output from the first cooling terminal for operating cooling and from the humidification / dehumidification terminal, the controller 110 can determine that the user desires dehumidification with a weak cooling setting, and determines the second communication signal as weak cooling wind (b).

[0157] In addition, the controller 110 may determine the second communication signal as strong heating wind (c) based on the signal from the humidification / dehumidification terminal (Dh / H) being in the OFF state, the signal from the four-way valve terminal (O / B) being in the ON state, the signal from the second heating terminal (W2) being in the OFF state, the signal from the first heating terminal (W1) being in the OFF state, the signal from the indoor fan terminal (G) being in the ON state, the signal from the second cooling terminal (Y2) being in the ON state, and the signal from the first cooling terminal (Y1) being in the OFF state. That is, during the operation of the indoor fan and in response to the ON signal output from the second cooling terminal and from the four-way valve terminal for cooling / heating switching, the controller 110 may determine that the user desires strong heating, and determine the second communication signal as strong heating wind (c).

[0158] In addition, the controller 110 may determine the second communication signal as strong heating wind (c) based on the signal from the humidification / dehumidification terminal (Dh / H) being in the OFF state, the signal from the four-way valve terminal (O / B) being in the ON state, the signal from the second heating terminal (W2) being in the OFF state, the signal from the first heating terminal (W1) being in the OFF state, the signal from the indoor fan terminal (G) being in the ON state, the signal from the second cooling terminal (Y2) being in the ON state, and the signal from the first cooling terminal (Y1) being in the ON state. That is, during the operation of the indoor fan and in response to the ON signal output from the first cooling terminal and the second cooling terminal and from the four-way valve terminal for cooling / heating switching, the controller 110 may determine that the user desires strong heating, and determine the second communication signal as strong heating wind (c).

[0159] In addition, the controller 110 may determine the second communication signal as strong heating wind (c) based on the signal from the humidification / dehumidification terminal (Dh / H) being in the ON state, the signal from the four-way valve terminal (O / B) being in the ON state, the signal from the second heating terminal (W2) being in the OFF state, the signal from the first heating terminal (W1) being in the OFF state, the signal from the indoor fan terminal (G) being in the ON state, the signal from the second cooling terminal (Y2) being in the ON state, and the signal from the first cooling terminal (Y1) being in the OFF state. That is, during the operation of the indoor fan and in response to the ON signal output from the second cooling terminal, from the humidification / dehumidification terminal for controlling humidification / dehumidification, and from the four-way valve terminal for cooling / heating switching, the controller 110 may determine that the user desires strong dehumidification and heating, and determine the second communication signal as strong heating wind (c).

[0160] In addition, the controller 110 may determine the second communication signal as strong heating wind (c) based on the signal from the humidification / dehumidification terminal (Dh / H) being in the ON state, the signal from the four-way valve terminal (O / B) being in the ON state, the signal from the second heating terminal (W2) being in the OFF state, the signal from the first heating terminal (W1) being in the OFF state, the signal from the indoor fan terminal (G) being in the ON state, the signal from the second cooling terminal (Y2) being in the ON state, and the signal from the first cooling terminal (Y1) being in the ON state. That is, during the operation of the indoor fan and in response to the ON signals output from the first cooling terminal and the second cooling terminal, from the humidification / dehumidification terminal for controlling humidification / dehumidification, and from the four-way valve terminal for cooling / heating switching, the controller 110 may determine that the user desires strong heating, and determine the second communication signal as strong heating wind (c).

[0161] In addition, the controller 110 may determine the second communication signal as weak heating wind (d) based on the signal from the humidification / dehumidification terminal (Dh / H) being in the OFF state, the signal from the four-way valve terminal (O / B) being in the ON state, the signal from the second heating terminal (W2) being in the OFF state, the signal from the first heating terminal (W1) being in the OFF state, the signal from the indoor fan terminal (G) being in the ON state, the signal from the second cooling terminal (Y2) being in the OFF state, and the signal from the first cooling terminal (Y1) being in the ON state. That is, during the operation of the indoor fan and in response to the ON signal output from the first cooling terminal and from the four-way valve terminal for cooling / heating switching, the controller 110 may determine that the user desires weak heating, and determine the second communication signal as weak heating wind (d).

[0162] In addition, the controller 110 may determine the second communication signal as weak heating wind (d) based on the signal from the humidification / dehumidification terminal (Dh / H) being in the ON state, the signal from the four-way valve terminal (O / B) being in the ON state, the signal from the second heating terminal (W2) being in the OFF state, the signal from the first heating terminal (W1) being in the OFF state, the signal from the indoor fan terminal (G) being in the ON state, the signal from the second cooling terminal (Y2) being in the OFF state, and the signal from the first cooling terminal (Y1) being in the ON state. That is, during the operation of the indoor fan and in response to the ON signal output from the first cooling terminal, from the humidification / dehumidification terminal for controlling humidification / dehumidification, and from the four-way valve terminal for cooling / heating switching, the controller 110 may determine that the user desires dehumidification with a weak heating setting, and determine the second communication signal as weak heating wind (d).

[0163] Thereafter, the controller 110 may transmit the determined second communication signal to the outdoor unit 20 through serial communication, and the outdoor unit 20 may operate in an operation mode corresponding to the second communication signal. In this case, the controller 110 of the main controller 2 may convert a plurality of first communication signals into one second communication signal and transmit it to the outdoor unit 20, thereby allowing compatibility with the outdoor unit 20 whose communication method is different from that of the indoor controller 10.

[0164] Figure 7 A process of controlling a defrost operation by a main controller according to an embodiment is shown.

[0165] refer to Figure 7 The controller 110 of the main controller 2 can receive multiple first communication signals as contact signals from the indoor controller 10, and can control functions that cannot be conventionally controlled by contact signals by delaying or blocking some of the multiple first communication signals.

[0166] The controller 110 of the main controller 2 according to the embodiment may receive an outdoor unit defrost signal from the outdoor unit 20, and enter a defrost operation (a) based on the outdoor unit defrost signal. Upon receiving the outdoor unit defrost signal, the controller 110 may control the signals of the first cooling terminal (Y1), the second cooling terminal (Y2), the first heating terminal (W1), the second heating terminal (W2), the four-way valve terminal (O / B), and the indoor fan terminal (G) to be in a closed state.

[0167] In this case, unlike the existing method, the controller 110 may change the indoor fan terminal (G) to the off state a preset time later than other terminals (b) and change the indoor fan terminal (G) to the on state a preset time earlier than other terminals (c).

[0168] The defrost operation is used to remove frost caused by a temperature drop around the outdoor unit 20, and corresponds to a process of melting frost on the surface of the outdoor unit 20 according to the cooling operation principle. Therefore, in response to entering the defrost operation during the heating operation, the controller 110 can remove the residual heat inside the air conditioner 1 by delaying the switching of the indoor fan signal (G) to the off state instead of other signals to effectively remove the frost. Then, the controller 110 can operate the indoor fan in advance before the defrost operation is completed (d), and discharge the cold air in the air conditioner 1 in advance, thereby improving the efficiency of the heating operation.

[0169] In another example, the controller 110 may delay or block a plurality of first communication signals received from the indoor controller 10 to provide a function of preventing cold air.

[0170] Specifically, in response to the user plugging in to operate the heating operation of the air conditioner 1, the frequency of the compressor gradually increases, and thus air cooler than the set temperature may flow in at the start of the operation. Therefore, the controller 110 may control the signal of the indoor fan terminal (G) to be in an off state until the pressure of the compressor reaches the target pressure, thereby preventing the introduction of cold air at the start of the heating operation.

[0171] The air conditioner 1 according to the embodiment may provide the function of the indoor unit 30, and the indoor unit 30 may not be provided in the existing contact type air conditioner, thereby increasing the convenience of the user.

[0172] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of determining an operation mode of an outdoor unit by a main controller in an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

[0173] refer to Figure 8 , the user may generate a user input including an operation command of the air conditioner for the indoor controller 10 (800). Thereafter, the indoor controller 10 may transmit a plurality of first communication signals as a plurality of input signals corresponding to the user input to the main controller 2, and the main controller 2 may receive the first communication signals (810).

[0174] Since the controller 110 generates the second communication signal by combining signals in the on state among the plurality of first communication signals, the controller 110 may determine whether each input signal is in the on state ( 820 ).

[0175] Based on determining that an input signal among the plurality of input signals is in the on state (Yes in operation 820 ), the controller 110 may generate an output signal ( 830 ) by combining input signals in the on state among the plurality of input signals, the output signal being the second communication signal.

[0176] Thereafter, the controller 110 may determine the operation mode of the outdoor unit 20 as any one of strong cooling wind, weak cooling wind, strong heating wind, or weak heating wind based on the output signal (840). The controller 110 may transmit the determined operation mode of the outdoor unit 20 to the outdoor unit 20 based on a preset communication standard (850), thereby providing compatibility with different types of outdoor units 20 (e.g., inverter outdoor units 20).

[0177] Fig. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of determining an indoor unit operation by a main controller in an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

[0178] refer to Fig. 9, the user may generate a user input including an operation command of the air conditioner for the indoor controller 10 (900). Then, the indoor controller 10 may transmit a plurality of first communication signals as a plurality of input signals corresponding to the user input to the main controller 2, and the main controller 2 may receive the first communication signals (910).

[0179] Thereafter, the controller 110 of the main controller 2 may determine the operation of the indoor unit 30 based on the plurality of first communication signals (920). The controller 110 may determine a function control condition to determine whether additional control of the air conditioner function (eg, defrosting operation or cold air prevention function) is required (930).

[0180] Based on determining that the function of the air conditioner needs to be additionally controlled (Yes in operation 930 ), the controller 110 may block and delay transmission of at least one of the plurality of input signals within a reference period of time ( 940 ).

[0181] For example, Figure 7 As shown, during the defrost operation, the signal of the indoor fan (G) may be turned off later and turned on earlier than other signals, or the signal of the indoor fan (G) may be blocked for a predetermined period of time to prevent cold air.

[0182] The controller 110 may determine the operation of the indoor unit 30 by including the blocked signal ( 950 ), and may transmit the determined operation of the indoor unit 30 to the indoor unit 30 ( 960 ).

[0183] As described above, the air conditioner 1 according to the embodiment can convert multiple first communication signals into a single second communication signal, thereby allowing the inverter outdoor unit 20 to be connected to an existing constant speed type air conditioner through the main controller 2. Therefore, both the compatibility of constant speed products and the efficiency of inverter products can be obtained. In addition, the air conditioner fan, auxiliary heat source and other air conditioning equipment can be controlled by delaying or blocking the first communication signal, thereby improving user convenience.

[0184] The air conditioner 1 according to the embodiment may include an indoor controller 10, which is configured to receive an operation command from a user and generate a plurality of first communication signals corresponding to the operation command. The air conditioner 1 may include a main controller 2, which is configured to receive a plurality of first communication signals by connecting to the indoor controller 10, and convert the plurality of first communication signals into a single second communication signal by combining the plurality of first communication signals. The air conditioner 1 may include an outdoor unit 20, which is configured to receive a single second communication signal by connecting to the main controller 2, and operate based on the single second communication signal.

[0185] The main controller 2 may be configured to combine signals in an on state among the plurality of first communication signals to convert into a second communication signal.

[0186] The plurality of first communication signals may include contact communication signals, and the single second communication signal may include a serial communication signal communicable with the outdoor unit 20 .

[0187] The main controller 2 may include a transmission terminal configured to transmit a second communication signal to the outdoor unit 20 , and a reception terminal configured to receive an outdoor unit operation signal from the outdoor unit 20 .

[0188] The main controller 2 may be configured to control the communicator 100 to perform bidirectional communication with the outdoor unit 20 through the transmission terminal and the reception terminal.

[0189] The main controller 2 may be configured to determine the operation of the indoor unit 30 based on the plurality of first communication signals, and control the communicator 100 to transmit the determined operation of the indoor unit 30 to the indoor unit 30 .

[0190] The main controller 2 may be configured to block transmission of at least one first communication signal among a plurality of first communication signals within a reference time period to determine the operation of the indoor unit 30 .

[0191] The operation of the indoor unit 30 may include a plurality of operation phases, and the main controller 2 may be configured to determine an operation phase corresponding to the plurality of first communication signals among the plurality of operation phases as the operation of the indoor unit 30 .

[0192] The device for controlling the air conditioner 1 according to the embodiment may include an indoor unit connection terminal 31 configured to be connected to the indoor unit 30. The device may include an outdoor unit connection terminal 21 configured to be connected to the outdoor unit 20. The device may include an indoor controller connection terminal 11 configured to be connected to the indoor controller 10, the indoor controller 10 being configured to obtain an operation command from a user and generate a plurality of first communication signals corresponding to the operation command. The device may include a controller 110 configured to convert the plurality of first communication signals into a single second communication signal and send the single second communication signal to the outdoor unit 20.

[0193] The controller 110 may be configured to combine signals in an on state among the plurality of first communication signals to convert into a second communication signal.

[0194] The plurality of first communication signals may include contact communication signals, and the single second communication signal may include a serial communication signal communicable with the outdoor unit 20 .

[0195] The apparatus may further include a transmission terminal configured to transmit a second communication signal to the outdoor unit 20 , and a reception terminal configured to receive an outdoor unit operation signal from the outdoor unit 20 .

[0196] The controller 110 may be configured to control the communicator 100 to perform bidirectional communication with the outdoor unit 20 through the transmission terminal and the reception terminal.

[0197] The controller 110 may be configured to determine the operation of the indoor unit 30 based on the plurality of first communication signals, and control the communicator 100 to transmit the determined operation of the indoor unit 30 to the indoor unit 30 .

[0198] The controller 110 may be configured to block transmission of at least one first communication signal among a plurality of first communication signals for a reference period of time to determine the operation of the indoor unit 30 .

[0199] The operation of the indoor unit 30 may include a plurality of operation phases, and the main controller 2 may be configured to determine an operation phase corresponding to the plurality of first communication signals among the plurality of operation phases as the operation of the indoor unit 30 .

[0200] According to the method for controlling the air conditioner 1 of the embodiment, the indoor controller 10 can receive an operation command from a user and generate a plurality of first communication signals corresponding to the operation command. The main controller 2 connected to the indoor controller 10 can receive a plurality of first communication signals and convert the plurality of first communication signals into a single second communication signal by combining the plurality of first communication signals. The outdoor unit 20 connected to the main controller 2 can receive a single second communication signal from the main controller 2 and operate based on the single second communication signal.

[0201] According to a computer-readable recording medium storing a program for implementing a method for controlling an air conditioner, the indoor controller 10 can receive an operation command from a user and generate a plurality of first communication signals corresponding to the operation command. The main controller 2 connected to the indoor controller 10 can receive a plurality of first communication signals and convert the plurality of first communication signals into a single second communication signal by combining the plurality of first communication signals. The outdoor unit 20 connected to the main controller 2 can receive a single second communication signal from the main controller 2 and operate based on the single second communication signal.

[0202] Meanwhile, the disclosed embodiments may be implemented in the form of a recording medium storing computer-executable instructions. The instructions may be stored in the form of program codes, and when executed by a processor, these instructions may create a program module to perform the operations of the disclosed embodiments.

[0203] The machine-readable recording medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium, wherein the term "non-transitory storage medium" merely means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not include signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), but the term does not distinguish between data being semi-permanently stored in the storage medium and data being temporarily stored in the storage medium. For example, the "non-transitory storage medium" may include a buffer that temporarily stores data.

[0204] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be included and provided in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)) or via an application store (e.g., Play Store TM ) online distribution (e.g., downloadable or uploadable), or directly distributed between two user devices (e.g., smart phones). When distributed online, at least a portion of the computer program product (e.g., a downloadable application) may be temporarily generated or at least temporarily stored in a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a memory of a manufacturer's server, a server of an application store, or a relay server).

[0205] While the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An air conditioner (1), comprising: An indoor controller (10) is configured to receive an operation command from a user and generate a plurality of first communication signals corresponding to the operation command; Outdoor unit (20); as well as a main controller (2) configured to be connected to the indoor controller (10) and the outdoor unit (20), receive the plurality of first communication signals, convert the plurality of first communication signals into a single second communication signal by combining the plurality of first communication signals, and send the single second communication signal to the outdoor unit (20) to control the operation of the outdoor unit (20), The outdoor unit (20) is configured to receive the single second communication signal from the main controller (2) and to operate based on the single second communication signal.

2. The air conditioner (1) according to claim 1, wherein: The main controller (2) is configured to combine signals in an on state among the plurality of first communication signals to convert the plurality of first communication signals into the single second communication signal.

3. The air conditioner (1) according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of first communication signals include a contact communication signal, and The single second communication signal includes a serial communication signal capable of communicating with the outdoor unit (20).

4. The air conditioner (1) according to claim 1, wherein: The main controller (2) comprises a transmitting terminal configured to transmit the single second communication signal to the outdoor unit (20), and a receiving terminal configured to receive an outdoor unit (20) operation signal from the outdoor unit (20).

5. The air conditioner (1) according to claim 4, wherein: The main controller (2) is configured to control the communicator (100) to perform bidirectional communication with the outdoor unit (20) through the transmitting terminal and the receiving terminal.

6. The air conditioner (1) according to claim 1, wherein: The main controller (2) is configured to determine the operation of the indoor unit (30) based on the plurality of first communication signals, and control the communicator (100) to send the determined operation of the indoor unit (30) to the indoor unit (30).

7. The air conditioner (1) according to claim 6, wherein: The main controller (2) is configured to prevent transmission of at least one first communication signal among the plurality of first communication signals within a reference time period to determine operation of the indoor unit (30).

8. The air conditioner (1) according to claim 7, wherein: The operation of the indoor unit (30) includes multiple operation stages, and The main controller (2) is configured to determine an operation phase corresponding to the plurality of first communication signals among the plurality of operation phases as the operation of the indoor unit (30).

9. A device for controlling an air conditioner (1), the device comprising: An indoor unit connection terminal (31) configured to be connected to the indoor unit (30); An outdoor unit connection terminal (21) configured to be connected to an outdoor unit (20); An indoor controller connection terminal (11) is configured to be connected to an indoor controller (10), wherein the indoor controller (10) is configured to obtain an operation command from a user and generate a plurality of first communication signals corresponding to the operation command; as well as A controller (110) is configured to receive the plurality of first communication signals from the indoor controller (10), convert the plurality of first communication signals received into a single second communication signal by combining the plurality of first communication signals received, and send the single second communication signal to the outdoor unit (20) through the outdoor unit connection terminal (21) to control the outdoor unit (20).

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein: The controller (110) is configured to combine signals in an on state among the plurality of first communication signals to convert the plurality of first communication signals into the single second communication signal.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein: The plurality of first communication signals include a contact communication signal, and The single second communication signal includes a serial communication signal capable of communicating with the outdoor unit (20).

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: A sending terminal configured to send the single second communication signal to the outdoor unit (20); as well as The receiving terminal is configured to receive an outdoor unit (20) operation signal from the outdoor unit (20).

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein: The controller (110) is configured to control the communicator (100) to perform bidirectional communication with the outdoor unit (20) through the transmitting terminal and the receiving terminal.

14. The device according to claim 9, wherein: The controller (110) is configured to determine the operation of the indoor unit (30) based on the plurality of first communication signals, and control the communicator (100) to transmit the determined operation of the indoor unit (30) to the indoor unit (30).

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein: The controller (110) is configured to prevent transmission of at least one first communication signal among the plurality of first communication signals within a reference time period to determine operation of the indoor unit (30).

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