Self-cleaning method for indoor heat exchanger of air conditioner, air conditioner and storage medium

Abstract

The invention provides a self-cleaning method for an indoor heat exchanger of an air conditioner, the air conditioner and a storage medium. The self-cleaning method of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner comprises the steps that a self-cleaning signal of the indoor heat exchanger is received; the indoor heat exchanger is controlled to enter a frosting stage and a defrosting stage in sequence; and after the defrosting stage is finished, the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger is evaluated, and an evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree is output. According to the scheme, the self-cleaning process and result of the indoor heat exchanger can be visually displayed, and the use experience of a user is improved; opportunities for selecting and adjusting are provided for the user for multiple times, man-machine interaction is achieved in the self-cleaning process, and the use requirements of the user are fully met.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of household appliances, in particular to a self-cleaning method of an indoor heat exchanger of an air conditioner, an air conditioner and a storage medium. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the development of society and the continuous improvement of people's living standards, various air conditioning devices have become one of the indispensable electrical appliances in people's daily life. Various air conditioning devices can help people achieve an adaptable temperature and humidity when the environmental temperature and humidity are too high or too low. The current air conditioning devices mainly include various types of air conditioners and fans.

[0003] The indoor heat exchanger of the current air conditioner generally has a self-cleaning function, which mainly realizes the self-cleaning function of the indoor heat exchanger by frosting the fins of the indoor heat exchanger and then using the defrosting water after defrosting to flush the fins. In actual use of the self-cleaning function, once the self-cleaning process is entered, the fan speed of the indoor unit often changes or even stops running. For ordinary users, they may not understand the operation mode of the air conditioner at this time, and even think that the air conditioner has failed and cannot understand that the air conditioner is running the self-cleaning function of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0004] The existing air conditioner cannot intuitively display the self-cleaning process of the indoor heat exchanger. In order to solve this problem, there are probably the following two solutions at present: the first is to install a camera at a specific position of the indoor unit of the air conditioner to detect the condition of the indoor unit in real time, but this way needs to increase the external part of the camera, which will increase the cost, and there are also safety hazards of the built-in camera in the indoor unit. The second is to calculate the self-cleaning time first, and end and remind the user after reaching the self-cleaning time, but this way only relies on the calculation of the self-cleaning time for display, and the result is not accurate enough, and it is also impossible to make the user intuitively experience the self-cleaning process. In addition, the above-mentioned solutions all have the problem that the entire self-cleaning program is fixedly run and cannot be flexibly selected, which affects the user's use experience. SUMMARY

[0005] An object of the present application is to intuitively display the self-cleaning process and result of the indoor heat exchanger and improve the user's use experience.

[0006] A further object of the present application is to realize human-computer interaction in the self-cleaning process and fully meet the user's use demand.

[0007] In particular, the present application provides a self-cleaning method of an indoor heat exchanger of an air conditioner, comprising: receiving a self-cleaning signal of the indoor heat exchanger; controlling the indoor heat exchanger to enter a frosting stage and a defrosting stage in sequence; and evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger after the end of the defrosting stage and outputting the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree.

[0008] Optionally, the step of evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger comprises: obtaining an inlet temperature and an outlet temperature of the indoor unit of the air conditioner; calculating an actual temperature difference between the inlet temperature and the outlet temperature; and comparing the actual temperature difference with a preset temperature difference to determine the self-cleaning degree, wherein the greater the difference between the actual temperature difference and the preset temperature difference, the lower the self-cleaning degree.

[0009] Optionally, the step of evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger comprises: obtaining a set air speed and an actual air speed of the indoor unit of the air conditioner; calculating an actual air speed difference between the set air speed and the actual air speed; and comparing the actual air speed difference with a preset air speed difference to determine the self-cleaning degree, wherein the greater the difference between the actual air speed difference and the preset air speed difference, the lower the self-cleaning degree.

[0010] Optionally, the step of evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger comprises: obtaining an actual water level in a water pan of the indoor unit of the air conditioner; and comparing the actual water level with a preset water level to determine the self-cleaning degree, wherein the greater the difference between the actual water level and the preset water level, the higher the self-cleaning degree.

[0011] Optionally, the air conditioner is provided with a display device, and the step of outputting the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree comprises: outputting the evaluation result in the form of a number and a bar graph through the display device, wherein the length of the bar graph is proportional to the size of the number.

[0012] Optionally, the step of outputting the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree is followed by: outputting an option for the next step of self-cleaning, wherein the option comprises: shutting down, performing self-cleaning again, and keeping the state before self-cleaning; determining whether a selection operation of a user is obtained within a first preset time; and if so, adjusting the operating state of the air conditioner according to the selection operation.

[0013] Optionally, in the case where the selection operation is not obtained within the first preset time, it is determined whether the self-cleaning degree is less than a preset threshold; and if so, the step of controlling the indoor heat exchanger to enter the frosting stage and the defrosting stage in sequence is re-executed to perform self-cleaning again, and if not, the air conditioner is controlled to keep the state before self-cleaning.

[0014] Optionally, the step of controlling the indoor heat exchanger to enter the frosting stage and the defrosting stage in sequence comprises: obtaining a frosting duration of the indoor heat exchanger; controlling the indoor heat exchanger to enter the frosting stage and last for the frosting duration; and after the frosting stage ends, controlling the indoor heat exchanger to enter the defrosting stage to clean the indoor heat exchanger with defrosting water.

[0015] Optionally, the step of obtaining the frosting duration of the indoor heat exchanger comprises: determining whether the user-set duration is obtained within a second preset time after receiving the self-cleaning signal; and if yes, determining the frosting duration as the set duration, and if no, determining the frosting duration as the preset duration.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present application, there is also provided an air conditioner comprising a controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a machine executable program which, when executed by the processor, implements the self-cleaning method of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner of any one of the above.

[0017] According to still another aspect of the present application, there is also provided a machine readable storage medium having stored thereon a machine executable program which, when executed by a processor, implements the self-cleaning method of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner of any one of the above.

[0018] The self-cleaning method of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner, the air conditioner and the machine readable storage medium of the present application directly show the self-cleaning process and result of the indoor heat exchanger by receiving a self-cleaning signal of the indoor heat exchanger, controlling the indoor heat exchanger to enter a frosting stage and a defrosting stage in sequence, evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger after the defrosting stage ends, and outputting the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree, thereby improving the user experience.

[0019] Further, the self-cleaning method of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner, the air conditioner and the machine readable storage medium of the present application determine the frosting duration as the set duration if the result is yes, and determine the frosting duration as the preset duration if the result is no, by determining whether the user-set duration is obtained within a second preset time after receiving the self-cleaning signal; output the next step of the self-cleaning after outputting the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree, determine whether the user's selection operation is obtained within a first preset time, adjust the operating state of the air conditioner according to the selection operation if the result is yes, and further determine the operating state of the air conditioner according to the self-cleaning degree if the result is no, thereby providing the user with multiple opportunities to select and adjust, realizing the human-computer interaction during the self-cleaning process, and fully meeting the user's use demand.

[0020] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present application will become more apparent from the following detailed description of some embodiments thereof, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] Some embodiments of the present application will now be described in detail in the following text with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same or similar components or parts. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a self-cleaning method of an indoor heat exchanger of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 2 is a detailed flowchart of a self-cleaning method of an indoor heat exchanger of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of a controller of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present application; and

[0025] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a machine-readable storage medium according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The embodiment first provides a self-cleaning method of an indoor heat exchanger of an air conditioner, which can intuitively show the self-cleaning process of the indoor heat exchanger and improve the user experience. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a self-cleaning method of an indoor heat exchanger of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 1 the self-cleaning method of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner can include the following steps:

[0027] Step S102, receiving a self-cleaning signal of the indoor heat exchanger;

[0028] Step S104, controlling the indoor heat exchanger to enter a frosting stage and a defrosting stage in sequence;

[0029] Step S106, evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger after the end of the defrosting stage, and outputting the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree.

[0030] In the above steps, step S102 receives the self-cleaning signal of the indoor heat exchanger. In a specific embodiment, the self-cleaning signal sent by a display device, a voice device, a remote controller of an air conditioner indoor unit, or a mobile terminal bound with the air conditioner indoor unit can be received. The mobile terminal can be a smart device that is convenient to move, such as a smart phone, a tablet computer, etc.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, when the self-cleaning function is started by manual operation of the user, the display device can display Chinese characters or letters similar to "self-cleaning start". When the self-cleaning function is started by the voice of the user, the voice device can voice broadcast a voice similar to "you have now started the self-cleaning function". In this way, the user can be explicitly reminded that the air conditioner has started the self-cleaning function, so as to avoid the user mistaking the air conditioner as malfunctioning due to subsequent changes in the indoor fan speed and other phenomena.

[0032] In step S104, the indoor heat exchanger is sequentially brought into the frosting stage and the defrosting stage. Specifically, the frosting duration of the indoor heat exchanger can be acquired first, and then the indoor heat exchanger is controlled to enter the frosting stage and last for the frosting duration, and then the indoor heat exchanger is controlled to enter the defrosting stage after the frosting stage ends, so as to clean the indoor heat exchanger by using the defrosting water.

[0033] In a specific embodiment, after the air conditioner enters the self-cleaning, the state can be interpreted according to the sampling data of the indoor collected position sensor, for example, the outdoor environment temperature Tao, the indoor environment temperature Tr, the coil temperature Tp, the wind speed F, the compressor frequency P and other data can be collected, and the user can be displayed in time through the display device, so that the user can understand the current running state of the air conditioner. For example, in the frosting stage, the coil temperature Tp of the indoor unit decreases, the wind speed F = 0, and the indoor environment temperature Tr decreases, and the above-mentioned collected data can be displayed to the user in real time through the display device.

[0034] In addition, in the frosting stage, the longer the frosting duration is, the thicker the frost layer is, and the better the cleaning effect is, but the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet of the indoor unit is larger in the frosting stage. In a preferred embodiment, the control mode can be freely set to facilitate user customization of the self-cleaning process. For example, the frosting duration is determined according to the user-set duration as mentioned above. The user can adjust it at any time according to his own needs, and can select the frosting duration through the display device, the voice device, the remote controller or the mobile terminal.

[0035] In addition, the display device can display the frosting degree every certain time, for example, the frosting degree can be displayed every 5 minutes. The frosting degree can be displayed by animation, pattern, text and the like. In this process, the user can choose to quit the self-cleaning process at any time. According to the determined frosting duration, the frosting is carried out, and after the time reaches, the defrosting stage is entered. In a specific embodiment, the defrosting duration can be a fixed duration by default, for example, 10 minutes.

[0036] In step S106, the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger is evaluated after the defrosting stage ends, and the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree is output. In a specific embodiment, the step of evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger can include: acquiring the inlet temperature and the outlet temperature of the indoor unit of the air conditioner; calculating the actual temperature difference between the inlet temperature and the outlet temperature; and comparing the actual temperature difference with a preset temperature difference to determine the self-cleaning degree, wherein the greater the difference between the actual temperature difference and the preset temperature difference, the lower the self-cleaning degree.

[0037] In another specific embodiment, the step of evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger can include: obtaining a set air speed and an actual air speed of the indoor unit of the air conditioner; calculating an actual air speed difference between the set air speed and the actual air speed; and comparing the actual air speed difference with a preset air speed difference to determine the self-cleaning degree, wherein the greater the difference between the actual air speed difference and the preset air speed difference, the lower the self-cleaning degree.

[0038] In yet another specific embodiment, the step of evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger can include: obtaining an actual water level in a water pan of the indoor unit of the air conditioner; and comparing the actual water level with a preset water level to determine the self-cleaning degree, wherein the greater the difference between the actual water level and the preset water level, the higher the self-cleaning degree.

[0039] It should be noted that the above provides three different ways of evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger, and in a specific embodiment, one or more of the ways can be used to determine the self-cleaning degree. Preferably, the self-cleaning degrees determined by the three ways can be combined to calculate an average value as the final self-cleaning degree for output.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment, the air conditioner can be provided with a display device, and the step of outputting the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree can include: outputting the evaluation result in the form of a number and a bar graph through the display device, wherein the length of the bar graph is proportional to the size of the number. That is, the higher the self-cleaning degree, the longer the bar graph; the lower the self-cleaning degree, the shorter the bar graph.

[0041] More preferably, the display device can further output corresponding animations in the frosting stage and the defrosting stage, respectively. The animation in the frosting stage can include the indoor heat exchanger, frost, and dirt, and the amount of frost or the thickness of the frost layer is proportional to the length of time during which the air conditioner operates in the frosting stage. The animation in the defrosting stage can include the indoor heat exchanger, the frost heated to form defrosting water, and the dirt, and the volume of the dirt is inversely proportional to the length of time during which the air conditioner operates in the defrosting stage. This is because the longer the air conditioner operates in the defrosting stage, the more defrosting water is formed by the melting of the heated frost, which is more capable of washing the dust on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger, and the volume of the dirt, which represents the amount of dust on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger as a whole, becomes smaller and smaller.

[0042] In addition, the dirt in the animations in the frosting stage and the defrosting stage can be arranged at different positions. The dirt in the animation in the defrosting stage is located lower than the dirt in the animation in the frosting stage, which vividly shows the process of the defrosting water washing the dirt and making the dirt leave the surface of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0043] In summary, the self-cleaning method of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner of the embodiment can directly show the self-cleaning process and result of the indoor heat exchanger by receiving the self-cleaning signal of the indoor heat exchanger, controlling the indoor heat exchanger to enter the frosting stage and the defrosting stage in sequence, evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger after the end of the defrosting stage, and outputting the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree, thereby improving the user experience.

[0044] In some optional embodiments, the air conditioner can achieve higher technical effects through further optimization and configuration of the above steps. The control method of the air conditioner of the embodiment will be described in detail in combination with the introduction of an optional execution flow of the embodiment. The embodiment is only an example of the execution flow, and in specific implementation, the execution order and running conditions of some steps can be modified according to specific implementation requirements. Figure 2 is a detailed flowchart of the self-cleaning method of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the application. The self-cleaning method of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner includes the following steps:

[0045] Step S202, receiving a self-cleaning signal of the indoor heat exchanger;

[0046] Step S204, determining whether an operation of setting a time length is obtained within a second preset time after receiving the self-cleaning signal. If yes, step S208 is executed, and if no, step S206 is executed.

[0047] Step S206, determining the frosting time length as a preset time length;

[0048] Step S208, determining the frosting time length as a set time length;

[0049] Step S210, controlling the indoor heat exchanger to enter the frosting stage and continue for the frosting time length;

[0050] Step S212, controlling the indoor heat exchanger to enter the defrosting stage after the end of the frosting stage to clean the indoor heat exchanger by using defrosting water;

[0051] Step S214, evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger after the end of the defrosting stage and outputting the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree;

[0052] Step S216, outputting the next option of self-cleaning;

[0053] Step S218, determining whether a selection operation of the user is obtained within a first preset time. If yes, step S220 is executed, and if no, step S222 is executed.

[0054] Step S220, adjusting the running state of the air conditioner according to the selection operation;

[0055] Step S222, judging whether the self-cleaning degree is less than a preset threshold, if yes, executing step S210, if no, executing step S224;

[0056] Step S224, controlling the air conditioner to keep the state before self-cleaning.

[0057] In the above steps, first, step S202 is executed to receive a self-cleaning signal of the indoor heat exchanger, in a specific embodiment, the self-cleaning signal sent by a display device, a voice device, a remote controller of the air conditioner indoor unit or a mobile terminal bound with the air conditioner indoor unit can be received. The mobile terminal can be a smart device convenient to move, such as a smart phone, a tablet computer, etc.

[0058] Then, step S204 can be executed to judge whether an operation of setting a time length by a user is obtained within a second preset time after receiving the self-cleaning signal, in the case that the judgment result of step S204 is yes, step S208 is executed to determine the frosting time length as the set time length. In the case that the judgment result of step S204 is no, step S206 is executed to determine the frosting time length as a preset time length.

[0059] That is to say, if the operation of setting a time length by a user is obtained within the second preset time after receiving the self-cleaning signal, the frosting time length can be determined as the set time length. If the operation of setting a time length by a user is not obtained within the second preset time after receiving the self-cleaning signal, the frosting time length can be determined as the preset time length.

[0060] For example, if the operation of setting a time length by a user is obtained within 5 minutes of the second preset time after receiving the self-cleaning signal, the set time length is 15 minutes, the frosting time length can be determined as the set time length 15 minutes. If the operation of setting a time length by a user is not obtained within 5 minutes of the second preset time after receiving the self-cleaning signal, the frosting time length can be determined as the default preset time length 10 minutes. It should be noted that the specific values of the above parameters are only examples, and the present application is not limited thereto. In some other embodiments, other values can be set according to actual conditions.

[0061] After the frosting time length is obtained in step S206 or step S208, step S210 and step S212 can be executed to control the indoor heat exchanger to enter a frosting stage and last for the frosting time length, and after the frosting stage ends, the indoor heat exchanger is controlled to enter a defrosting stage to clean the indoor heat exchanger by using defrosting water. Generally, the defrosting time length can be defaulted as a fixed time length, for example, 10 minutes.

[0062] Then, step S214 can be performed to evaluate the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger after the defrosting stage ends and output the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree. In a specific embodiment, the step of evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger can include: obtaining the inlet air temperature and the outlet air temperature of the indoor unit of the air conditioner; calculating the actual temperature difference between the inlet air temperature and the outlet air temperature; and comparing the actual temperature difference with a preset temperature difference to determine the self-cleaning degree, wherein the greater the difference between the actual temperature difference and the preset temperature difference, the lower the self-cleaning degree.

[0063] For example, if the difference between the inlet air temperature and the outlet air temperature is a when the air conditioner is factory tested, a can be used as the preset temperature difference. If the actual temperature difference between the inlet air temperature and the outlet air temperature is less than or equal to 1 when the air conditioner is actually operated, it can be considered to be within a normal range. If the actual temperature difference is greater than 1 and less than or equal to 2, the self-cleaning degree can be determined to be 80%. If the actual temperature difference is greater than 2 and less than or equal to 3, the self-cleaning degree can be determined to be 70%. If the actual temperature difference is greater than 3 and less than or equal to 4, the self-cleaning degree can be determined to be 60%. If the actual temperature difference is greater than 4 and less than or equal to 5, the self-cleaning degree can be determined to be 50%, and so on.

[0064] The difference between the actual temperature difference and the preset temperature difference and the specific numerical value of the self-cleaning degree are only examples and are not a limitation of the present application. In other embodiments, other numerical values can be set according to actual conditions, but the greater the difference between the actual temperature difference and the preset temperature difference, the lower the self-cleaning degree. Specifically, temperature sensors can be arranged at the inlet and outlet of the indoor unit to detect the inlet air temperature and the outlet air temperature. The greater the difference between the actual temperature difference and the preset temperature difference, the more dust and other impurities on the indoor heat exchanger after self-cleaning, and the lower the self-cleaning degree.

[0065] In another specific embodiment, the step of evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger can include: obtaining the set air speed and the actual air speed of the indoor unit of the air conditioner; calculating the actual air speed difference between the set air speed and the actual air speed; and comparing the actual air speed difference with a preset air speed difference to determine the self-cleaning degree, wherein the greater the difference between the actual air speed difference and the preset air speed difference, the lower the self-cleaning degree.

[0066] For example, if the difference between the set air speed and the actual air speed is 10 during the factory inspection of the air conditioner, 10 can be taken as the preset air speed difference. If the actual air speed difference between the set air speed and the actual air speed is greater than 10 and less than or equal to 15 during actual operation, it can be determined that the self-cleaning degree is 80%; if the actual air speed difference is greater than 15 and less than or equal to 20, it can be determined that the self-cleaning degree is 70%; if the actual air speed difference is greater than 20 and less than or equal to 25, it can be determined that the self-cleaning degree is 60%; if the actual air speed difference is greater than 25 and less than or equal to 30, it can be determined that the self-cleaning degree is 50%, and so on.

[0067] The difference between the actual air speed difference and the preset air speed difference and the specific value of the self-cleaning degree are only examples and are not a limitation of the present application. In other embodiments, other values can also be set according to actual conditions, but need to meet the condition that the greater the difference between the actual air speed difference and the preset air speed difference, the lower the self-cleaning degree. Specifically, an air speed sensor can be arranged at the air outlet of the indoor unit or the indoor fan to detect the actual air speed, and the set air speed can be determined according to the user's setting operation. The greater the difference between the actual air speed difference and the preset air speed difference, the more dust and other impurities at the indoor heat exchanger after self-cleaning, and the lower the self-cleaning degree.

[0068] In yet another specific embodiment, the step of evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger can include: obtaining the actual water level in the water pan of the indoor unit of the air conditioner; and comparing the actual water level with a preset water level to determine the self-cleaning degree, wherein the greater the difference between the actual water level and the preset water level, the higher the self-cleaning degree.

[0069] For example, during the factory inspection of the air conditioner, the frost is formed according to the default preset time and self-cleaning is performed once, and the discharge amount of the defrosting water in the water pan is b, which can be taken as the preset water level. If the actual water level in the water pan after self-cleaning is less than 0.5b during actual operation, it can be determined that the self-cleaning degree is 40%; if the actual water level is less than b and greater than or equal to 0.5b, it can be determined that the self-cleaning degree is 50%; if the actual water level is less than 1.5b and greater than or equal to b, it can be determined that the self-cleaning degree is 60%; if the actual water level is less than 2b and greater than or equal to 1.5b, it can be determined that the self-cleaning degree is 70%; if the actual water level is less than 2.5b and greater than or equal to 2b, it can be determined that the self-cleaning degree is 80%, and so on.

[0070] The difference between the actual water level and the preset water level and the specific value of the self-cleaning degree are only examples and are not a limitation of the present application. In other embodiments, other values can be set according to actual conditions, but the difference between the actual water level and the preset water level needs to be greater, and the self-cleaning degree needs to be higher. Specifically, a water level sensor can be arranged at the water pan to detect the preset water level and the actual water level. The greater the difference between the actual water level and the preset water level, the thicker the frost layer in the self-cleaning frost stage, the less dust and other impurities at the indoor heat exchanger after self-cleaning, and the higher the self-cleaning degree.

[0071] It should be noted that the above provides three different ways of evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger. In a specific embodiment, the self-cleaning degree can be determined according to one or more of the above ways. Preferably, the self-cleaning degrees determined by the above three ways can be integrated to calculate an average value as the final self-cleaning degree for output.

[0072] In a preferred embodiment, the air conditioner can be provided with a display device, and the step of outputting the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree can include outputting the evaluation result in the form of a number and a bar chart through the display device, wherein the length of the bar chart is proportional to the size of the number. That is, the higher the self-cleaning degree, the longer the bar chart; the lower the self-cleaning degree, the shorter the bar chart.

[0073] In a specific embodiment, if the self-cleaning degree is greater than or equal to 80%, the self-cleaning effect can be considered excellent; if the self-cleaning degree is less than 80% and greater than or equal to 50%, the self-cleaning effect can be considered good; and if the self-cleaning degree is less than 50%, the self-cleaning effect can be considered poor. The specific value of the self-cleaning degree, the bar chart, and the corresponding self-cleaning effect can be output together through the display device. In addition, the user can be notified to check the overall situation of self-cleaning. Preferably, the user can be reminded through a mobile terminal bound to the air conditioner indoor unit, so that the user can check in time.

[0074] After outputting the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree, steps S216 and S218 can be performed to output the next option of self-cleaning, determine whether a selection operation of the user is obtained within a first preset time, and perform step S220 to adjust the operating state of the air conditioner according to the selection operation in the case where the determination result of step S218 is yes, i.e., the selection operation of the user is obtained within the first preset time.

[0075] The options in step S216 may include: shutting down, performing self-cleaning again, and maintaining the state before self-cleaning. Specifically, the above options can be output through a display device for the user to select. If the user's selection operation is obtained within the first preset time, the operating state of the air conditioner can be adjusted according to the selection operation. For example, if the user's selection operation within the first preset time is to shut down, the air conditioner can be controlled to shut down. Alternatively, if the user's selection operation within the first preset time is to perform self-cleaning again, the air conditioner can be controlled to perform self-cleaning again. Alternatively, if the user's selection operation within the first preset time is to maintain the state before self-cleaning, the air conditioner can be controlled to maintain the state before self-cleaning.

[0076] If the judgment result of step S218 is no, that is, the user's selection operation is not obtained within the first preset time, step S222 can be executed to determine whether the self-cleaning degree is less than the preset threshold. If the judgment result of step S222 is yes, that is, the self-cleaning degree is less than the preset threshold, step S210 is executed to control the indoor heat exchanger to enter the frosting stage and continue the frosting time.

[0077] If no user selection is received within the first preset time, and the self-cleaning level is less than a preset threshold, step S210 is re-executed to control the indoor heat exchanger to enter the frosting stage and continue the frosting period. Subsequent steps are then executed sequentially, meaning the indoor heat exchanger is re-controlled to sequentially enter the frosting and defrosting stages, and self-cleaning is performed again. If the self-cleaning level is less than the preset threshold, it indicates a low level of self-cleaning. Re-performing self-cleaning without the user selecting the next state of the air conditioner can effectively improve the cleanliness of the indoor heat exchanger and enhance operational reliability.

[0078] If the result of step S222 is negative, that is, if the self-cleaning degree is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, step S224 is executed to control the air conditioner to maintain the state before self-cleaning. If the self-cleaning degree is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, it means that the self-cleaning degree is good. If the user does not select the next state of the air conditioner, controlling the air conditioner to maintain the state before self-cleaning can avoid energy waste caused by unnecessary repeated self-cleaning. Restoring the state before self-cleaning also better meets the user's usage needs.

[0079] In summary, the self-cleaning method of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner in this embodiment determines whether the user's set time operation is obtained within the second preset time of receiving the self-cleaning signal. When the result is yes, the frosting time is determined to be the set time, and when the result is no, the frosting time is determined to be the preset time; after outputting the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree, the option of the next step of self-cleaning is output, and it is determined whether the user's selection operation is obtained within the first preset time. When the result is yes, the operating state of the air conditioner is adjusted according to the selection operation. When the result is no, the operating state of the air conditioner is further determined according to the level of self-cleaning. The user is provided with multiple opportunities to choose and adjust, and human-computer interaction is realized in the self-cleaning process to meet the user's usage needs.

[0080] It should be noted that the self-cleaning method for the indoor heat exchanger of an air conditioner in this embodiment can be applied when the air conditioner is operating in cooling mode or heating mode. However, since the self-cleaning process itself is a cooling process, the air inlet and outlet temperatures of the air conditioner indoor unit are obtained after the self-cleaning is completed. By default, the air inlet temperature is greater than the air outlet temperature, that is, the difference between the air inlet temperature and the air outlet temperature is greater than 0.

[0081] This embodiment further provides an air conditioner, which may include a controller 300 . Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a controller 300 for an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 As shown, the controller 300 may include: a processor 310 and a memory 320, wherein the memory 320 stores a machine executable program 321, which is used to implement any of the above-mentioned self-cleaning methods for the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner when executed by the processor 310.

[0082] The processor 310 can be a central processing unit (CPU), a digital processing unit, or the like. The processor 310 sends and receives data via a communication interface. The memory 320 is used to store a machine-executable program 321 executed by the processor 310. The memory 320 is any medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, and can also be a combination of multiple memories 320. The machine-executable program 321 can be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to a corresponding computing / processing device or downloaded and installed to the controller 300 via a network (e.g., the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network).

[0083] The air conditioner in the embodiment can obtain the inlet temperature and the outlet temperature of the air inlet, the set temperature and the actual temperature, and the actual water level of the defrosting water through the existing sensors without adding additional components, comprehensively detect and analyze the data, judge the progress and result of the self-cleaning, and timely show the user, interpret each process of the self-cleaning to the user, and enable the user to intuitively see and feel the self-cleaning process and result, thereby improving the user experience and satisfaction. In addition, the self-cleaning process can be timely linked with the user, the user can freely adjust the self-cleaning time, exit the self-cleaning at any time, and select the next state of the air conditioner after the self-cleaning, thereby fully meeting the use demand of the user through the human-computer interaction.

[0084] The embodiment further provides a machine readable storage medium 400, Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the machine readable storage medium 400 according to an embodiment of the present application, which stores the machine executable programs 321, and the machine executable programs 321 are executed by the processor 310 to implement the self-cleaning method of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner in any of the above embodiments.

[0085] The machine readable storage medium 400 in the embodiment can be an electronic memory such as a flash memory, an EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), an EPROM, a hard disk, or a ROM. The machine readable storage medium 400 has a storage space for the machine executable programs 321 for executing any of the method steps in the above method. These machine executable programs 321 can be read from or written to one or more computer program products. These computer program products include program code carriers such as a hard disk, a compact disk (CD), a memory card, or a floppy disk. The device in which the machine readable storage medium 400 is located executes the above machine executable programs 321 to perform each step in the above described method.

[0086] In the description of the embodiments, the description of the terms “one embodiment”, “some embodiments”, “exemplary embodiment”, “example”, “specific example”, or “some examples” means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In the present specification, the exemplary description of the above terms does not necessarily mean the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0087] At this point, those skilled in the art will appreciate that although specific exemplary embodiments of the application have been described herein, the present application also encompasses many other variations or modifications in accordance with the principles of the application as set forth above. Accordingly, the scope of the present application should be understood to include all such variations and modifications.

Claims

1. A method for self-cleaning of an indoor heat exchanger of an air conditioner, comprising: receiving a self-cleaning signal of the indoor heat exchanger; controlling the indoor heat exchanger to enter a frosting stage and a defrosting stage in sequence; and evaluating a self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger after the defrosting stage ends and outputting an evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein the step of evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger comprises: obtaining an inlet temperature and an outlet temperature of an indoor unit of the air conditioner; calculating an actual temperature difference between the inlet temperature and the outlet temperature; and comparing the actual temperature difference with a preset temperature difference to determine the self-cleaning degree, wherein the greater the difference between the actual temperature difference and the preset temperature difference, the lower the self-cleaning degree. 3.The method of claim 1, wherein the step of evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger comprises: obtaining a set air speed and an actual air speed of the indoor unit of the air conditioner; calculating an actual air speed difference between the set air speed and the actual air speed; and comparing the actual air speed difference with a preset air speed difference to determine the self-cleaning degree, wherein the greater the difference between the actual air speed difference and the preset air speed difference, the lower the self-cleaning degree. 4.The method of claim 1, wherein the step of evaluating the self-cleaning degree of the indoor heat exchanger comprises: obtaining an actual water level in a water pan of the indoor unit of the air conditioner; and comparing the actual water level with a preset water level to determine the self-cleaning degree, wherein the greater the difference between the actual water level and the preset water level, the higher the self-cleaning degree. 5.The method of claim 1, wherein the air conditioner is provided with a display device, and the step of outputting the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree comprises outputting the evaluation result in a form of a number and a bar graph through the display device, wherein a length of the bar graph is proportional to a size of the number. 6.The method of claim 1, further comprising, after the step of outputting the evaluation result of the self-cleaning degree: outputting an option for next self-cleaning, wherein the option comprises: turning off, performing self-cleaning again, keeping a state before self-cleaning; determining whether a selection operation of a user is obtained within a first preset time; and if yes, adjusting an operation state of the air conditioner according to the selection operation. 7.The method of claim 6, wherein if the selection operation is not obtained within the first preset time, it is determined whether the self-cleaning degree is less than a preset threshold; and if yes, the step of controlling the indoor heat exchanger to enter the frosting stage and the defrosting stage in sequence is re-executed to perform self-cleaning again, and if no, the air conditioner is controlled to keep the state before self-cleaning. 8.The method of claim 1, wherein the step of controlling the indoor heat exchanger to enter the frosting stage and the defrosting stage in sequence comprises: obtaining a frosting duration of the indoor heat exchanger; controlling the indoor heat exchanger to enter the frosting stage and last for the frosting duration; and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ controlling the indoor heat exchanger to enter a defrosting phase after the frosting phase ends to clean the indoor heat exchanger by defrosting water. 9.The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of obtaining the frosting duration of the indoor heat exchanger comprises: an operation of judging whether a user-set duration is obtained within a second preset time of receiving the self-cleaning signal; and if yes, determining the frosting duration as the set duration, if no, determining the frosting duration as a preset duration.

10. An air conditioner comprising: a controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a machine executable program, and the machine executable program, when executed by the processor, implements the self-cleaning method of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 9. 11.A machine readable storage medium, having stored thereon a machine executable program, the machine executable program, when executed by a processor, implements the self-cleaning method of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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