Key type air conditioner control panel and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a piano key type air conditioner control panel and a control method thereof.The piano key type air conditioner control panel comprises a panel shell, an air conditioner switch large key and a temperature adjusting small key, the keys are arranged in a piano key mode, the temperature adjusting small key is embedded in the lower half area of the air conditioner switch large key, and multi-gear accurate control over the air conditioner temperature is achieved in a direct selection mode. The system is simple in structure and visual in operation, supports manual and networking dual-mode control, is suitable for various air conditioner control scenes, and has high artistry and market competitiveness.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of air conditioner control, in particular to a piano key type air conditioner control panel and a control method thereof, which is suitable for air conditioner control systems in residential, hotel, office and other places. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the popularization and development of air conditioner technology, users' requirements for the convenience, intuitiveness and aesthetics of air conditioner control are increasing. The air conditioner control panels on the market are mainly divided into two categories: mechanical key type temperature controllers and intelligent touch screen temperature controllers. The mechanical key type temperature controller usually has single function and inconvenient operation, and can only realize basic switching and simple temperature adjustment, cannot provide intuitive multi-grade temperature and wind speed control, and the appearance design is relatively old. The intelligent touch screen temperature controller has rich functions, but has problems such as high cost, complex operation logic, poor visibility under strong light, and dependence on network, and the basic functions may be limited when the network is abnormal.

[0003] In the prior art, many enterprises and individuals have tried to improve the air conditioner control panel from different angles, but these schemes all have their own limitations. In order to more clearly illustrate the status of the prior art, the following will analyze the specific patent documents closely related to the present application: Comparative document 1 (publication number: CN101457969A) is applied by Zhuhai Gree Electric Appliances Co., Ltd., and the name is "air conditioner panel device and its control method". The patent provides an air conditioner panel device based on a capacitive touch chip, the key unit of which includes a special touch area (for example, a circular metal foil sensing pad divided into multiple parts with a center and insulated from each other), which is connected to multiple touch detection ports of the touch chip through multiple touch detection channels, aiming to improve the accuracy and reliability of touch operation, and to make it more convenient to adjust the air conditioner through special form and structure. However, the improvement of this patent focuses on the hardware structure of touch detection and the touch scheme itself instead of mechanical keys, and the "special form" mainly refers to the physical structure of the sensing pad. It does not involve how to optimize the user interaction experience through the overall panel layout and key form design (such as piano key layout) that is intuitive and differentiated, nor how to let the user quickly locate and operate different function keys without looking. Its function implementation still depends on the possible abstract identification of the user to identify the touch area.

[0004] Prior art document 2 (Publication No.: CN1107843C), applied for by Guangdong Kelon Air Conditioner Co., Ltd., is entitled "Air Conditioner Controller with Multi-Function Buttons." The core of this patent lies in achieving multiple functions through the "multiplexing" of a single button. Specifically, the microprocessor unit determines the function program to be executed when the button is pressed based on the detected pressing time or detected state conditions. This approach aims to reduce the number of buttons and achieve more function control on a limited control panel. However, this "one-button multi-use" solution significantly increases the user's learning cost and operational complexity. Users must remember the functions corresponding to different button durations or states, and must consciously control the pressing time, failing to achieve the convenience of blind operation and easily triggering incorrect functions due to improper operation, resulting in a poor user experience. Its design intent is completely different from the idea of ​​this invention, which achieves fast and intuitive control through clearly defined physical buttons.

[0005] Prior art document 3 (Publication No.: CN104713188B), applied for by Guangdong Midea Refrigeration Equipment Co., Ltd., is entitled "Control Method and System for Air Conditioner". This patent focuses on air conditioner control via wireless communication. When the control terminal (such as a mobile phone) detects a key-value electrical signal triggered by the user, it sends the control command to the air conditioner through a wireless communication environment according to the pre-stored mapping relationship between the key-value electrical signal and the air conditioner control command. Its advantage is that it can reduce the buzzing noise of the air conditioner itself. However, this solution relies entirely on an external control terminal, deviating from the scope of a physical control panel. Every time the user operates, they need to find and wake up the control terminal and open the corresponding application, making its operation far less convenient than a physical panel fixed to the wall. In addition, this patent does not make any improvements to the layout and interaction design of the physical panel itself.

[0006] Prior art document 4 (Application No. / Announcement No.: CN201910188369.2) was applied for by Qingdao Haier Air Conditioner Co., Ltd., entitled "An Air Conditioner and Its Control Method". This patent relates to an air conditioner including a touch screen and a button module. Its feature is that the touch screen switches operating states based on the duration of button presses, aiming to achieve a multi-functional touch screen mode and improve the level of intelligence. This solution is a complex system combining touch and physical buttons, and its interaction logic is still relatively complex (requiring users to distinguish between short presses, long presses, etc.), and the cost is high. Its improvement lies in the logical connection between different control modules, rather than focusing on improving the basic control experience through a simple and intuitive physical button layout.

[0007] This paper summarizes and analyzes the common shortcomings of existing technologies. Based on the above analysis of existing technologies, it can be found that innovations in current air conditioning control panels mostly focus on: upgrading a single interaction technology (such as replacing mechanical buttons with touch buttons, as in comparison document 1), reusing a small number of buttons through complex logic (as in comparison document 2), and introducing external control terminals or complex touch control systems (as in comparison documents 3 and 4). These solutions generally suffer from one or more of the following shortcomings: (1) The interaction is not intuitive enough: users need to learn or memorize complex operation logic (such as long press, combination press), which has a high learning cost; (2) Cumbersome operation steps: It is not possible to quickly access commonly used functions (such as specific temperature, wind speed), and multiple switching or confirmations are required; (3) Lack of physical positioning: The touch panel or a few reusable buttons make it difficult to operate blindly, resulting in a poor user experience; (4) Insufficient integration of artistry and functionality: The appearance design is homogenized and fails to deeply integrate aesthetics with ultimate ease of operation.

[0008] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a panel solution that is cost-effective, extremely intuitive to operate, aesthetically pleasing, and capable of providing fast and precise air conditioning control through a physical interface. It should fundamentally solve the aforementioned problems by collaboratively innovating hardware layout and interaction logic, providing users with an easy-to-learn, smooth-operating, and seamlessly replacing traditional air conditioning controllers, without relying on complex screens or cumbersome logic. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present invention aims to provide a compact and intuitive piano key-style air conditioner control panel. By combining an innovative piano key layout with intelligent control logic, it enables the complete functions of turning the air conditioner on and off, adjusting multiple temperature levels, and controlling the fan speed without the need for a screen.

[0010] The innovation of the piano key-style air conditioner control panel of this invention lies in introducing the traditional piano key layout concept into the field of air conditioner control. Through the synergistic innovation of hardware structure and control algorithm, it achieves an unprecedented user experience.

[0011] The air conditioner control panel includes: a panel housing, a large air conditioner switch, a small temperature adjustment switch, a fan speed adjustment lever, and a control circuit system.

[0012] Panel housing: It adopts a one-piece molding design, and the surface presents an elegant layout like piano keys; Air conditioner switch main button: Located in the main position of the panel, it adopts a long strip piano key design, and its area occupies 50%-80% of the entire control panel. It is used to perform the main switch operation of the air conditioning system. Temperature adjustment buttons: Embedded in the lower half of the large air conditioner switch, these buttons are designed with multiple buttons arranged side by side to create a clear visual hierarchy and are specifically used for temperature setting adjustment. Fan speed adjustment lever: Located above or below the small temperature adjustment button on the panel, separate from the button area, and the fan speed is adjusted by sliding mechanism; Control circuit system: Built inside the panel housing, including: (1) Main control chip: as the core of intelligent processing; (2) Key detection circuit: Real-time acquisition of various key operation signals; (3) Temperature control circuit: generates precise temperature control signals; (4) Fan speed drive circuit: controls the speed of the air conditioner fan; (5) Communication module: Supports Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth communication protocols.

[0013] Working principle and control process. This invention simplifies complex air conditioning control into intuitive physical interaction through carefully designed control logic.

[0014] Air Conditioner Switch Control Mechanism: Each press of the main switch button by the user triggers a state switch. The main control chip captures the press signal through the button detection circuit and queries the current air conditioner status: if it is in the off state, it performs a power-on operation and restores the previously set temperature level; if it is in the on state, it performs a power-off operation.

[0015] Temperature Adjustment Mechanism: The temperature adjustment buttons use a fixed-level design, supporting 3-8 temperature levels. Taking a 5-level design as an example, these correspond to five fixed temperature values: 16℃, 20℃, 24℃, 27℃, and 30℃. When the user presses any temperature adjustment button, the main control chip directly outputs the corresponding temperature control signal, achieving precise temperature control. The five temperature control levels can be modified as needed, but should follow the following order: the leftmost button corresponds to 16℃, the rightmost button to 30℃, and the three middle buttons should display three integer values ​​between 17℃ and 29℃, arranged in ascending order.

[0016] Fan speed adjustment mechanism: The output signal of the fan speed adjustment dial is directly processed by the main control chip and converted into corresponding fan speed control parameters through an algorithm, thereby realizing the adjustment of the air conditioner fan speed. From left to right, the fan speed gradually increases.

[0017] Dual-mode collaborative control: The system supports both offline manual control and network-controlled operation. In offline mode, all functions are directly controlled via physical buttons; in network mode, the communication module receives external control commands, which are processed by the main control chip and coordinated with local operation priorities to ensure the consistency of control logic.

[0018] The core innovation of this invention lies in introducing the tactile experience of piano keys into air conditioning control: (1) Visual guidance: The piano key layout not only gives the product an artistic aesthetic, but also guides users to distinguish between the main functions and auxiliary functions through the differences in the size and position of the keys; (2) Operational intuition: The main switch with large key, the main temperature adjustment with small key, and the main fan speed control with lever are clearly defined, which meets the user's operational expectations; (3) Functional integration: Within a limited physical space, the independent control of three major functions—switching, temperature regulation, and wind speed control—was achieved through layout optimization.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following significant advantages: (1) The perfect combination of art and function: The layout of piano keys not only enhances the aesthetic value of the product, but also realizes the intuitive division of functions; (2) Low cost and high performance: Complete air conditioning control functions can be achieved without expensive screens, which greatly reduces manufacturing costs; (3) The operation logic is natural and smooth: the clear division of functions of the keys makes the complex air conditioning control simple and intuitive; (4) Extremely low learning cost: Users can operate all functions intuitively without reading the instruction manual. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 : Schematic diagram of the front structure of a piano key-style air conditioner control panel. In the diagram: 101, large air conditioner switch; 102, small temperature adjustment buttons (including five small temperature adjustment buttons: 102-1, 102-2, 102-3, 102-4, and 102-5); 104, fan speed adjustment lever; 107, panel housing.

[0021] Figure 2 : Block diagram of the internal circuit structure of the panel. This block diagram shows the modular architecture and signal flow of the internal circuit of the panel. (1) The user inputs commands through the large switch key 101, the small temperature key 102 and the fan speed lever 104; (2) The key detection circuit 202 collects and sends the commands to the main control chip 201; (3) After the main control chip processes the signals, it drives the temperature control circuit 203 and the fan speed drive circuit 204 to perform corresponding operations; (4) At the same time, the communication module 205 realizes data interaction with external devices to jointly complete the precise control of the air conditioning system.

[0022] Figure 3 Air Conditioning Control Flowchart. Labels in the diagram: 101: Air Conditioning Switch (Large Button); 102: Temperature Adjustment Button (Small Button); 104: Fan Speed ​​Adjustment Paddle; 107: Panel Housing; 201: Main Control Chip; 202: Button Detection Circuit; 203: Temperature Control Circuit; 204: Fan Speed ​​Drive Circuit; 205: Communication Module.

[0023] Figure 4 : Front view diagram of the piano key air conditioner control panel (five small keys). In the diagram: 101, Air conditioner power switch; 102, Temperature adjustment key; 103, Temperature indicator; 104, Fan speed adjustment lever; 105, Fan speed indicator; 106, Backlit display of the air conditioner power switch; 107, Panel housing.

[0024] Figure 5 : Front view diagram of the piano key air conditioner control panel (eight small keys). In the diagram: 101, Air conditioner power switch; 102, Temperature adjustment key; 103, Temperature indicator; 104, Fan speed adjustment lever; 105, Fan speed indicator; 106, Backlit display of the air conditioner power switch; 107, Panel housing. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Example 1: Mechanical button-style piano key air conditioner panel. (Reference) Figure 4 The panel housing 107 features a large air conditioning switch 101, which occupies approximately 70% of the main panel area. In the lower half of the large switch 101, five smaller temperature adjustment buttons 102-1 to 102-5 are embedded, arranged in an elegant layout resembling piano keys. Each button is accompanied by a temperature indicator 103. The operation is as follows: (1) The user presses the air conditioner switch button 101 for the first time to turn on the air conditioner, and presses it again to turn off the air conditioner; (2) The five temperature adjustment buttons 102-1 to 102-5 correspond to five fixed temperature levels: 16℃, 20℃, 24℃, 27℃, and 30℃, respectively. (3) Users can directly press any temperature adjustment key to quickly switch to the corresponding temperature setting; (4) The wind speed adjustment lever 104 is located between the large switch 101 and the small temperature adjustment lever of the air conditioner. It can be adjusted to five wind speed levels (lowest, medium, high, and highest) by sliding left and right, and has a wind speed indicator 105.

[0026] (5) Control circuit system (such as Figure 2 (As shown) It includes a main control chip 201, a key detection circuit 202, a temperature control circuit 203, a fan speed drive circuit 204, and a communication module 205. The main control chip 201 monitors the status of all keys in real time through the key detection circuit 202. When the temperature adjustment key is detected to be pressed, it directly outputs the corresponding temperature control signal.

[0027] Example 2: Eight-level temperature control variant. (Reference) Figure 5The number of temperature adjustment buttons has been increased to eight, corresponding to eight fixed temperature levels: 16℃, 18℃, 20℃, 22℃, 24℃, 26℃, 28℃, and 30℃, providing users with more precise temperature control options. The rest of the structure and control logic are the same as in Example 1.

[0028] Example 3: Capacitive Touch Variant. Mechanical buttons are replaced with capacitive touch sensors. Five small temperature adjustment buttons use independent capacitive detection areas embedded within the touch area of ​​the large air conditioner switch button. Different touch areas are used to identify and directly switch between the same temperature settings.

Claims

1. A piano-key style air conditioner control panel, characterized in that, The device includes a panel housing, at least one large air conditioning switch and multiple small temperature adjustment buttons arranged in a piano key layout, with the small temperature adjustment buttons embedded in the lower half of the large air conditioning switch. The large air conditioning switch is used to turn the air conditioning system on and off. The small temperature adjustment buttons are used to adjust the temperature setting, with each small temperature adjustment button corresponding to a fixed temperature setting. It also includes a fan speed control lever for adjusting the air conditioning fan speed.

2. The piano-key type air conditioner control panel as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When there are five temperature adjustment buttons, from left to right, they correspond to five fixed temperature levels: 16℃, 20℃, 24℃, 27℃, and 30℃. The five temperature control levels can be modified as needed, but the leftmost button should correspond to 16℃, the rightmost button to 30℃, and the three middle buttons should have three integer values ​​between 17℃ and 29℃ arranged in ascending order.

3. The piano-key type air conditioner control panel as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When there are eight temperature adjustment buttons, they correspond to eight fixed temperature settings: 16℃, 18℃, 20℃, 22℃, 24℃, 26℃, 28℃, and 30℃.

4. The piano-key type air conditioner control panel as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The area of ​​the large air conditioner switch button occupies 50%-80% of the entire control panel area.

5. The piano-key type air conditioner control panel as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The panel has an internal control circuit that supports both offline manual control mode and network controlled mode.

6. The piano-key type air conditioner control panel as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The control circuit includes a main control chip, a key detection circuit, a temperature control circuit, a wind speed drive circuit, and a communication module.

7. The piano-key type air conditioner control panel as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The large switch and small temperature control button for the air conditioner can be replaced with a capacitive touchscreen or a near-field infrared sensor interactive unit.

8. A control method for a piano-key type air conditioner control panel as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) Detect the user's pressing operation on the air conditioner switch button and execute the air conditioner switch state switching; (2) Detect the user's pressing operation of the temperature adjustment key and directly switch to the corresponding fixed temperature level; (3) Detect the user's operation of the wind speed adjustment dial and adjust the air conditioner wind speed setting.

9. The control method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, When the temperature adjustment key is pressed, the main control chip directly outputs the corresponding temperature control signal to achieve instant switching of temperature levels.

10. The piano-key type air conditioner control panel as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It can not only connect to and replace existing wall-mounted air conditioner thermostats for central or split air conditioners, but also function as a panel remote control for air conditioners, enabling intuitive and convenient control of the air conditioner.

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