Method and device for frost detection of air conditioner outdoor unit, and air conditioner outdoor unit

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of intelligent household appliances, and discloses a method and device for frost detection of an air conditioner outdoor unit, and an air conditioner outdoor unit. The method comprises the following steps: collecting outdoor coil temperature in response to an air conditioner starting instruction; processing the outdoor coil temperature by using a sliding window mechanism; calculating a correlation value of the outdoor coil temperature in the sliding window in the case that the sliding window storage data reaches a maximum value; determining to update a reference temperature to obtain an updated reference temperature in the case that the correlation value meets a preset condition; and determining the frost condition of the air conditioner outdoor unit according to the updated reference temperature; wherein the reference temperature is a preset outdoor coil temperature reference value. The method uses the sliding window mechanism and the preset condition to judge the stability of the outdoor coil temperature. The reference temperature is updated in the case that the air conditioner system is in a running state, so as to obtain a dynamic threshold value. In this way, the interference caused by environmental changes and outdoor coil temperature fluctuations can be effectively overcome, and the accuracy of the frost detection of the air conditioner outdoor unit is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of smart home appliance technology, such as a method and apparatus for detecting frost on an outdoor air conditioner unit, an outdoor air conditioner unit, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Most air conditioner frost detection methods use a fixed temperature threshold as the criterion for frost judgment. However, a fixed temperature threshold cannot adapt to different climatic conditions, model differences, and changes in operating conditions, which can easily lead to misjudgments. For example, the coil temperature during normal operation in a low-temperature environment may be lower than the preset threshold, causing false defrosting. Similarly, under high humidity conditions, the actual temperature during frost formation may not reach the threshold, resulting in delayed defrosting.

[0003] The related technology discloses a defrosting control method, including: in heating mode, determining whether the air conditioner has performed a defrosting operation during the current heating process; if the air conditioner has not performed a defrosting operation during the current heating process, determining whether the air conditioner meets a first defrosting condition based on the initial temperature of the outdoor coil when the heating mode is started, the current temperature, and the heating operation duration; if the air conditioner has performed a defrosting operation during the current heating process, determining whether the air conditioner meets a second defrosting condition, the second defrosting condition including: the heating operation duration is not less than a third preset duration. When the current temperature of the external coil is not higher than the second preset temperature and is at least a second preset temperature difference lower than the external coil reference temperature, the operation continues for a second preset duration. The external coil reference temperature is the lowest temperature of the external coil within a preset time period after heating operation. The preset time period is within the third preset duration after heating operation. The second preset temperature difference decreases with increasing heating operation duration and increases with increasing external coil reference temperature. When the air conditioner meets either the first defrosting condition or the second defrosting condition, the air conditioner is controlled to perform a defrosting operation.

[0004] In the process of implementing the embodiments of this disclosure, at least the following problems were found in the related art:

[0005] The relevant technology sets a reference temperature for the external coil to determine the degree of frost formation. However, the reference temperature can drift over time, which reduces the accuracy of frost formation detection.

[0006] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this application, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a brief summary is given below. This summary is not intended as a general commentary, nor is it intended to identify key / important components or describe the scope of protection of these embodiments, but rather as a prelude to the detailed description that follows.

[0008] This disclosure provides a method and apparatus for detecting frost on an outdoor air conditioner unit, an outdoor air conditioner unit, and a computer-readable storage medium, to improve the accuracy of frost detection on the outdoor air conditioner unit.

[0009] In some embodiments, the method includes: in response to an air conditioner start command, acquiring the outdoor coil temperature; processing the outdoor coil temperature using a sliding window mechanism, and calculating a relevant value of the outdoor coil temperature within the sliding window when the data stored in the sliding window reaches its maximum value; determining an updated reference temperature to obtain an updated reference temperature when the relevant value meets preset conditions; and determining the frosting status of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner based on the updated reference temperature; wherein the reference temperature is a preset outdoor coil temperature reference value.

[0010] In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a processor and a memory storing program instructions, the processor being configured to, when executing the program instructions, perform the aforementioned method for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner.

[0011] In some embodiments, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner includes: an outdoor unit body; and the aforementioned device for detecting frost on the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, which is installed on the outdoor unit body.

[0012] In some embodiments, the computer-readable storage medium stores program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to perform the aforementioned method for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner.

[0013] The method and apparatus for detecting frost on an outdoor air conditioner unit, the outdoor air conditioner unit, and the computer-readable storage medium provided in this disclosure can achieve the following technical effects:

[0014] This embodiment of the disclosure sets a dynamic threshold, i.e., an updated reference temperature, for frost detection. To adapt to changes in the environment and operating conditions and improve the accuracy of frost detection, a sliding window mechanism and preset conditions are used to determine the stability of the outdoor coil temperature. The reference temperature is updated under the operating conditions of the air conditioning system to obtain the dynamic threshold. This effectively overcomes interference caused by environmental changes and fluctuations in the outdoor coil temperature, improving the accuracy of frost detection for the outdoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0015] The above general description and the description below are exemplary and illustrative only and are not intended to limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0016] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. These illustrations and drawings do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements having the same reference numerals in the drawings are shown as similar elements. The drawings are not to be scaled. And wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the first method for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a second method for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the third method for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the fourth method for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner provided in this disclosure embodiment;

[0021] Figure 5 This is an application illustration of an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a device for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of an outdoor unit of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0024] Figure label:

[0025] 100: Device for detecting frost on outdoor air conditioning units; 101: Processor; 102: Memory; 103: Communication interface; 104: Bus; 200: Outdoor air conditioning unit. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To provide a more detailed understanding of the features and technical content of the embodiments of this disclosure, the implementation of the embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this disclosure. In the following technical description, for ease of explanation, several details are used to provide a full understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, one or more embodiments may still be implemented without these details. In other cases, well-known structures and devices may be simplified in their depiction to simplify the drawings.

[0027] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this disclosure are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate for the embodiments of this disclosure described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0028] Unless otherwise stated, the term "multiple" means two or more.

[0029] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the character " / " indicates that the objects before and after it are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B means: A or B.

[0030] The term "and / or" describes an association between objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B means: A or B, or A and B.

[0031] The term "correspondence" can refer to an association or binding relationship. The correspondence between A and B means that there is an association or binding relationship between A and B.

[0032] In this embodiment of the disclosure, smart home appliances refer to home appliances formed by introducing microprocessors, sensor technology and network communication technology into home appliances. They have the characteristics of intelligent control, intelligent sensing and intelligent application. The operation of smart home appliances often relies on the application and processing of modern technologies such as the Internet of Things, the Internet and electronic chips. For example, smart home appliances can be connected to electronic devices to enable users to remotely control and manage smart home appliances.

[0033] Combination Figure 1 As shown, this disclosure provides a first method for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, comprising:

[0034] S101, the processor responds to the air conditioner start command and collects the outdoor coil temperature.

[0035] S102, the processor uses a sliding window mechanism to process the outdoor coil temperature. When the data stored in the sliding window reaches its maximum value, it calculates the relevant value of the outdoor coil temperature in the sliding window.

[0036] S103, if the relevant values ​​meet the preset conditions, the processor determines the updated reference temperature to obtain the updated reference temperature.

[0037] S104, the processor determines the frosting status of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner based on the updated reference temperature.

[0038] The reference temperature is a preset outdoor coil temperature reference value.

[0039] Here, the detection of frost formation on the outdoor unit of the air conditioner means that the response to the air conditioner start command is primarily a response to the air conditioner heating start command. The outdoor coil temperature is collected using a temperature sensor installed on the outdoor coil. There can be one or more temperature sensors; when multiple sensors are used, the outdoor coil temperature is the average of the values ​​from all sensors. The outdoor coil temperature is easily affected by factors such as ambient wind speed, compressor start / stop, and residual defrost water film, causing drastic fluctuations. To avoid oversensitivity to transient temperature fluctuations, such as compressor start / stop shocks or residual defrost effects being misinterpreted as frost signals, leading to frequent and ineffective defrosting actions, this embodiment employs a sliding window mechanism to process the outdoor coil temperature. The reference temperature is updated only after the outdoor coil temperature has stabilized. This effectively eliminates abnormal fluctuations in the outdoor coil temperature under abnormal fluctuation scenarios.

[0040] In detail, the size and step size of the sliding window are set, and the sliding window begins when the air conditioner starts. Each slide of the sliding window updates one or more outdoor coil temperatures (the number of outdoor coil temperature updates is positively correlated with the step size). The outdoor coil temperature is stored according to the first-in, first-out (FIFO) and last-in, last-out (LIFO) principle. For example, if the sliding window size is w and the step size is 1, then the maximum amount of data that can exist in the sliding window is w, and the step size for each slide is 1 (i.e., one outdoor coil temperature is updated each time). After the data stored in the sliding window reaches its maximum value, the correlation value of all outdoor coil temperature data in the sliding window is calculated. The correlation value is used to characterize the stability of the outdoor coil temperature. When the correlation value meets a preset condition, it indicates that the outdoor coil temperature is stable. At this time, the reference temperature is updated so that the updated reference temperature can be used to determine the frosting status of the air conditioner's outdoor unit.

[0041] The relevant values ​​for outdoor coil temperature data can include the concentration of outdoor coil temperatures, such as whether the proportion of outdoor coil temperatures within a certain temperature range exceeds a first threshold (e.g., 70%). Higher concentration indicates more stable outdoor coil temperatures. Alternatively, the fluctuation amplitude of outdoor coil temperatures can also be included. Higher fluctuation amplitude indicates less stable outdoor coil temperatures. By calculating relevant values ​​and setting preset conditions, it can be determined whether the outdoor coil temperature is stabilizing. This ensures that the updated reference temperature is updated after the air conditioning system has stabilized, effectively overcoming interference from environmental changes and data fluctuations, and filtering out sudden disturbances such as compressor start-up / stop and instantaneous strong winds. Simultaneously, the sliding window data rolling update mechanism ensures both timely detection and reduced algorithm complexity, effectively avoiding the risk of misjudgments caused by sensor drift. This helps improve the accuracy of outdoor unit frosting detection.

[0042] Furthermore, it should be noted that the reference temperature is much lower than the outdoor coil temperature, thus clearly distinguishing the measured value from the set reference temperature. For example, the reference temperature is set to -99°C. Optionally, the reference temperature is lower than the outdoor coil temperature and also lower than the abnormal indication temperature of the temperature sensor. In this embodiment, the abnormal indication temperature of the temperature sensor is approximately -64°C. This reduces the impact of transient temperature fluctuations (such as compressor start-stop shocks, instantaneous environmental interference, etc.) on the judgment of frosting results.

[0043] The method for frost detection of an outdoor air conditioning unit provided in this disclosure can determine a dynamic threshold, i.e., an updated reference temperature, for frost detection. To adapt to changes in the environment and operating conditions and improve the accuracy of frost detection, a sliding window mechanism and preset conditions are used to assess the stability of the outdoor coil temperature. The reference temperature is updated under the operating conditions of the air conditioning system to obtain the dynamic threshold. This effectively overcomes interference caused by environmental changes and fluctuations in the outdoor coil temperature, improving the accuracy of frost detection for the outdoor air conditioning unit.

[0044] Optionally, in step S102, the processor calculates the relevant value of the outdoor coil temperature inside the sliding window, including:

[0045] The processor calculates the range between the maximum and minimum temperatures of the indoor and outdoor coils inside the sliding window.

[0046] The processor calculates the mode percentage of the outdoor coil temperature within the sliding window; the mode of the outdoor coil temperature is the temperature value that appears most frequently in the outdoor coil temperature range.

[0047] Here, the relevant values ​​include the range and the mode percentage. The mode refers to the outdoor coil temperature value that appears most frequently within the sliding window, used to measure the central tendency of the data. For example, if the data within the sliding window is (-6, -6, -5, -6, -5, -6, -6, -6, -6, -6), then the mode is -6℃. The mode percentage is the ratio of the number of modes to the total number of data points within the sliding window. The range between the maximum and minimum values ​​(range) serves as a range constraint, characterizing the temperature fluctuation range. The mode percentage (m) serves as a distribution concentration constraint, characterizing the data centrality. In this embodiment, these two values ​​are used to determine the stability of the data. When both the range and the mode percentage meet preset conditions, it is determined that the air conditioning system is in a stable operating state.

[0048] Optionally, the preset conditions in step S103 include:

[0049] The range is less than or equal to the range threshold, and the mode percentage is greater than or equal to the percentage threshold.

[0050] Here, we set the range threshold and the percentage threshold. When the range is less than or equal to the range threshold, it indicates that the outdoor coil temperature fluctuates less and is relatively stable. When the percentage of the mode is greater than or equal to the percentage threshold, it indicates that the outdoor coil temperature has a higher concentration and the data is relatively stable. Therefore, by setting these two conditions, we can ensure the automatic calibration of the reference temperature update.

[0051] Optionally, in step S103, the processor determines the updated reference temperature to obtain the updated reference temperature, including:

[0052] The processor calculates the mode of the current indoor and outdoor coil temperatures within the sliding window.

[0053] The processor uses the mode as the updated reference temperature.

[0054] Here, after the relevant values ​​of the indoor and outdoor coil temperatures of the current sliding window meet preset conditions, the mode of the current indoor and outdoor coil temperatures is calculated, and this mode is used as the updated reference temperature. For example, if the current indoor and outdoor coil temperatures of the sliding window are (-6, -6, -5, -6, -5, -6, -6, -6, -6, -6), and the mode is determined to be -6 ℃, then the mode -6 ℃ is used as the updated reference temperature. Subsequently, during the frosting detection process, the updated reference temperature is used as the benchmark value for determining whether the outdoor coil temperature has frost.

[0055] Combination Figure 2 As shown, this disclosure provides a second method for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, comprising:

[0056] S101, the processor responds to the air conditioner start command and collects the outdoor coil temperature.

[0057] S102, the processor uses a sliding window mechanism to process the outdoor coil temperature. When the data stored in the sliding window reaches its maximum value, it calculates the relevant value of the outdoor coil temperature in the sliding window.

[0058] S103, if the relevant values ​​meet the preset conditions, the processor determines the updated reference temperature to obtain the updated reference temperature.

[0059] The reference temperature is a preset outdoor coil temperature reference value.

[0060] S104, the processor determines the frosting status of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner based on the updated reference temperature.

[0061] S205, if the relevant value does not meet the preset conditions, the processor continuously collects the outdoor coil temperature and updates the sliding window in real time to calculate a new relevant value.

[0062] Here, if the relevant value does not meet the preset conditions, the sliding window continues to update and calculate the latest relevant values ​​of the indoor and outdoor coil temperatures in real time until the relevant value meets the preset conditions, at which point the reference temperature is updated. Otherwise, the reference temperature is not updated. The fact that the relevant value does not meet the preset conditions indicates that the air conditioning system has not entered a stable operating state. Therefore, the sliding window is continuously updated until the calculated new relevant value meets the preset conditions. Furthermore, the air conditioning system will not enter the frosting detection stage if the reference temperature is not updated. Frosting detection is only performed after the reference temperature is updated. This helps reduce the risk of misjudgment caused by disturbances or reference drift.

[0063] Combination Figure 3 As shown, this disclosure provides a third method for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, including:

[0064] S101, the processor responds to the air conditioner start command and collects the outdoor coil temperature.

[0065] S102, the processor uses a sliding window mechanism to process the outdoor coil temperature. When the data stored in the sliding window reaches its maximum value, it calculates the relevant value of the outdoor coil temperature in the sliding window.

[0066] S103, if the relevant values ​​meet the preset conditions, the processor determines the updated reference temperature to obtain the updated reference temperature.

[0067] S141, the processor counts the number of outdoor coil temperatures that are lower than the updated baseline temperature after the sliding window update.

[0068] S142, if the number of statistically significant events is greater than or equal to the detection threshold, the processor determines that the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is frosted and triggers a defrosting command.

[0069] Here, after updating the reference temperature, the number of outdoor coil temperatures lower than the updated reference temperature in the data within the window after each sliding window update is counted. Understandably, the updated reference temperature serves as a threshold for judging the degree of frost, and it is generally negative. When the outdoor coil temperature is lower than the updated reference temperature, it indicates a higher risk of frost formation on the outdoor unit. When the number of outdoor coil temperatures lower than the updated reference temperature within the sliding window is greater than or equal to the detection threshold, it indicates a large accumulation of low-temperature outdoor coil temperatures, thus determining that the outdoor unit is frosted. At this point, the air conditioner's defrost command is triggered to perform defrosting. This embodiment utilizes the linkage between the sliding window and the updated reference temperature to detect frost, achieving accurate judgment of the frost status of the outdoor unit. The real-time updating of the sliding window data ensures the timeliness of the detection and also reduces the complexity of the algorithm.

[0070] Furthermore, the detection threshold can be set based on the size of the sliding window or based on fuzzy logic control. The detection threshold based on fuzzy logic control can automatically adapt to changes in the data within the sliding window. Specifically, multiple fuzzy sets (historical data of outdoor coil temperature under frosting conditions) are established, along with a fuzzy rule base. Using the Mamdani inference method, defuzzification is performed using the centroid method to obtain precise threshold adjustment amounts. The rules in the fuzzy rule base can adjust the threshold based on the concentration of outdoor coil temperature. For example, higher concentration allows for a smaller detection threshold, while lower concentration allows for a larger detection threshold, and so on.

[0071] Optionally, the ratio of the detection threshold to the maximum value of the sliding window is greater than or equal to a preset ratio. The preset ratio ranges from greater than or equal to 70%. Preferably, the preset ratio is 80%.

[0072] Here, assuming the sliding window size is 100 (i.e., the maximum value of the sliding window is 100), the detection threshold is 80. The outdoor coil temperature results within the current sliding window are counted 100 times; that is, the number of results where the temperature is lower than the updated baseline temperature is counted. If the number is greater than or equal to 80, a defrost command is triggered.

[0073] Combination Figure 4 As shown, this disclosure provides a fourth method for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, comprising:

[0074] S101, the processor responds to the air conditioner start command and collects the outdoor coil temperature.

[0075] S102, the processor uses a sliding window mechanism to process the outdoor coil temperature. When the data stored in the sliding window reaches its maximum value, it calculates the relevant value of the outdoor coil temperature in the sliding window.

[0076] S103, if the relevant values ​​meet the preset conditions, the processor determines the updated reference temperature to obtain the updated reference temperature.

[0077] S141, the processor counts the number of outdoor coil temperatures that are lower than the updated baseline temperature after the sliding window update.

[0078] S142, if the number of statistically significant events is greater than or equal to the detection threshold, the processor determines that the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is frosted and triggers a defrosting command.

[0079] S143: If the number of samples collected is less than the detection threshold, the processor continuously collects the outdoor coil temperature and updates the sliding window in real time to detect frost formation. Then, S141 is executed.

[0080] Here, when the number of samples counted is less than the detection threshold, it indicates that the likelihood of outdoor unit frost formation is low or the frost layer is thin and defrosting is unnecessary. At this time, the outdoor coil temperature is continuously collected and the sliding window is updated in real time. Then, the number of outdoor coil temperatures below the updated baseline temperature is counted in real time across all data after the window update. If the latest count is greater than or equal to the detection threshold, outdoor unit frost is confirmed, and a defrosting command is triggered. Thus, during the frost detection phase, the number of low-temperature samples (i.e., the number of outdoor coil temperatures below the updated baseline temperature) is counted in real time through updating the sliding window. When the real-time count of low-temperature samples exceeds the critical value (i.e., the detection threshold), a defrosting command is triggered.

[0081] Optionally, after step S143, the processor further includes determining when to recount the count based on the difference between the detection threshold and the count.

[0082] Understandably, when the number of samples counted differs significantly from the detection threshold, to reduce computational load and avoid prolonged memory consumption, the count is not performed in real-time. Instead, the timing for recounting is determined based on the difference between the two. Specifically, when the number of window updates reaches the difference threshold, the number of external coil temperatures lower than the updated baseline temperature is counted again. Thus, if the number of window updates does not reach the difference threshold, the number of low-temperature samples is not counted. Alternatively, if the difference is greater than or equal to the second threshold, the number of low-temperature samples is not counted in real-time. If the difference is less than the second threshold, the number of low-temperature samples is counted in real-time. For example, if the detection threshold is 80 and the number of samples counted is ≤60, indicating a significant difference, the second threshold can be set to [5, 10]. This further reduces the computational load of the algorithm while ensuring timely detection.

[0083] In addition, it should be noted that the reference temperature is updated only once after each heating cycle. The updated reference temperature is used to check for frost formation until the current air conditioner cycle ends. When the air conditioner starts heating again, the reference temperature remains unchanged, and the sliding window mechanism is used to update the reference temperature again.

[0084] Combination Figure 5 As shown, this disclosure provides an application example, specifically including:

[0085] S501, responding to the air conditioner heating start command;

[0086] S502, real-time acquisition of outdoor coil temperature;

[0087] S503 uses a sliding window mechanism to process the real-time collected outdoor coil temperature;

[0088] S504, determine whether the sliding window storage data has reached the maximum value. If so, execute S505; otherwise, execute S502.

[0089] S505, calculate the range and mode percentage of the outdoor coil temperature inside the sliding window;

[0090] S506, determine whether the range is less than or equal to the range threshold and the mode proportion is greater than or equal to the proportion threshold (i.e., determine whether range ≤ range threshold and m ≥ proportion threshold). If yes, execute S508; otherwise, execute S507.

[0091] S507 updates the sliding window in real time, then executes S505;

[0092] S508, update the reference temperature to obtain the updated reference temperature;

[0093] S509, count the number of outdoor coil temperatures that are lower than the updated baseline temperature after the sliding window update;

[0094] S510, determine whether the number of counts is greater than or equal to the detection threshold. If yes, proceed to S511; otherwise, proceed to S512.

[0095] S511, confirm that the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is frosted and trigger the defrost command;

[0096] S512 updates the sliding window in real time, then executes S509.

[0097] Combination Figure 6 As shown, this embodiment of the present disclosure provides a device 100 for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, including a processor 101 and a memory 102. Optionally, the device may further include a communication interface 103 and a bus 104. The processor 101, communication interface 103, and memory 102 can communicate with each other via the bus 104. The communication interface 103 can be used for information transmission. The processor 101 can call logical instructions in the memory 102 to execute the method for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner as described in the above embodiment.

[0098] Furthermore, the logical instructions in the aforementioned memory 102 can be implemented as software functional units and, when sold or used as independent products, can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

[0099] The memory 102, as a computer-readable storage medium, can be used to store software programs and computer-executable programs, such as program instructions / modules corresponding to the methods in the embodiments of this disclosure. The processor 101 executes functional applications and data processing by running the program instructions / modules stored in the memory 102, that is, it implements the method for detecting frost on the outdoor unit of an air conditioner in the above embodiments.

[0100] The memory 102 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the operating system and applications required for at least one function; the data storage area may store data created based on the use of the terminal device. Furthermore, the memory 102 may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-volatile memory.

[0101] Combination Figure 7 As shown, this disclosure provides an air conditioner outdoor unit 200, including: an air conditioner outdoor unit body, and the aforementioned device 100 for detecting frost on the air conditioner outdoor unit. The device 100 for detecting frost on the air conditioner outdoor unit is installed on the air conditioner outdoor unit body. The installation relationship described herein is not limited to placement inside the air conditioner outdoor unit body, but also includes installation connections with other components of the air conditioner outdoor unit 200, including but not limited to physical connections, electrical connections, or signal transmission connections. Those skilled in the art will understand that the device 100 for detecting frost on the air conditioner outdoor unit can be adapted to feasible air conditioner outdoor unit bodies, thereby realizing other feasible embodiments.

[0102] This disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions configured to perform the above-described method for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner.

[0103] The technical solutions of this disclosure can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes one or more instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in this disclosure. The aforementioned storage medium can be a non-transitory storage medium, such as a USB flash drive, external hard drive, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk, or optical disk, etc., and other media capable of storing program code.

[0104] The foregoing description and accompanying drawings fully illustrate embodiments of this disclosure to enable those skilled in the art to practice them. Other embodiments may include structural, logical, electrical, procedural, and other changes. The embodiments represent only possible variations. Individual components and functions are optional unless explicitly required, and the order of operation may vary. Parts and features of some embodiments may be included in or replace parts and features of other embodiments. Moreover, the terminology used in this application is for describing embodiments only and is not intended to limit the claims. As used in the description of embodiments and claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to equally include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Similarly, the term “and / or” as used in this application means including one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations thereof. Additionally, when used in this application, the term "comprise" and its variations "comprises" and / or "comprising" refer to the presence of stated features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprises a..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, or apparatus that includes said element. In this document, each embodiment may focus on the differences from other embodiments, and similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. For methods, products, etc., disclosed in the embodiments, if they correspond to the method section disclosed in the embodiments, the relevant parts can be referred to the description of the method section.

[0105] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the embodiments of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0106] The methods and products disclosed in the embodiments herein (including but not limited to devices and equipment) can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of units may be merely a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. In addition, the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces, and the indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to implement this embodiment according to actual needs. In addition, the functional units in the embodiments of this disclosure may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.

[0107] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to embodiments of this disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than that shown in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. In the descriptions corresponding to the flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings, the operations or steps corresponding to different blocks may also occur in a different order than disclosed in the description, and sometimes there is no specific order between different operations or steps. For example, two consecutive operations or steps may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. Each block in a block diagram and / or flowchart, as well as combinations of blocks in a block diagram and / or flowchart, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

Claims

1. A method for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, characterized in that, include: In response to the air conditioner start command, the outdoor coil temperature is collected; The outdoor coil temperature is processed using a sliding window mechanism. When the data stored in the sliding window reaches its maximum value, the correlation value of the outdoor coil temperature within the sliding window is calculated. The correlation value is used to characterize the stability of the outdoor coil temperature. When the relevant values ​​meet the preset conditions, an updated reference temperature is determined to obtain the updated reference temperature; wherein, determining the updated reference temperature to obtain the updated reference temperature includes statistically determining the mode of the current indoor and outdoor coil temperatures of the sliding window, and using the mode as the updated reference temperature. The frosting status of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is determined based on the updated reference temperature. The reference temperature is a preset outdoor coil temperature reference value.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The relevant values ​​for calculating the outdoor coil temperature inside the sliding window include: Calculate the range between the maximum and minimum outdoor coil temperatures inside the sliding window; and, Calculate the mode percentage of the outdoor coil temperature within the sliding window; the mode of the outdoor coil temperature is the temperature value that appears most frequently.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The relevant values ​​include the range and the mode percentage; the preset conditions include: The range is less than or equal to the range threshold, and the mode percentage is greater than or equal to the percentage threshold.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: If the relevant value does not meet the preset conditions, the outdoor coil temperature is continuously collected and the sliding window is updated in real time to calculate a new relevant value.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The step of determining the frosting status of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner based on the updated reference temperature includes: The number of times the outdoor coil temperature inside the sliding window is lower than the updated baseline temperature after the sliding window is updated; If the number of cases counted is greater than or equal to the detection threshold, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is identified as being frosted and a defrosting command is triggered.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: If the number of statistically recorded cases is less than the detection threshold, the outdoor coil temperature is continuously collected and the sliding window is updated in real time to detect frost formation.

7. A device for detecting frost buildup on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, comprising a processor and a memory storing program instructions, characterized in that, The processor is configured to execute, when running the program instructions, the method for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner, characterized in that, include: Outdoor unit body; The device for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner as described in claim 7 is installed on the outdoor unit body.

9. A computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions, characterized in that, When the program instructions are executed, they cause the computer to perform the method for detecting frost on an outdoor unit of an air conditioner as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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