Air conditioner and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses an air conditioner and a control method thereof. The air conditioner comprises an indoor unit shell and an outdoor unit shell, a fresh air door; the first sensor is used for detecting the concentration of indoor volatile organic compounds; the second sensor is used for detecting the concentration of outdoor PM2.5; the controller is configured to obtain the concentration of indoor volatile organic compounds and the concentration of outdoor PM2.5 when the air conditioner runs; according to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration, or according to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the display state of a panel display screen and / or a user side, the reminding state of the user side and the state of a fresh air door are / is controlled; wherein the user side is in communication connection with the air conditioner in a wireless mode. According to the air conditioner, whether the air conditioner is started or not or whether a user is reminded to start the fresh air mode or not can be judged by combining the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, then the situation that outdoor fresh air is introduced to pollute the indoor air quality when the outdoor air quality is poor can be avoided, and the indoor air quality is more effectively improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of air conditioners, and in particular to an air conditioner and a control method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] The air conditioner in the related art can detect indoor air quality through a sensor, and can display a good level of the indoor air quality through a panel display screen to remind a user or directly start an outdoor fresh air function to introduce outdoor fresh air to improve the indoor air quality when the indoor air quality is poor.

[0003] However, the air conditioner in the related art can only remind the user, and does not provide a method for improving the indoor air quality when the indoor air quality is poor, or directly introducing outdoor fresh air cannot improve the indoor air quality when the indoor air is poor and the outdoor air is also poor, and the user experience is poor. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application aims to at least solve one of the problems in the prior art. To this end, one object of the present application is to provide an air conditioner which, when the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is low, can only display a preset color through a panel display screen and / or a user terminal to represent the good level of the indoor air quality, and when the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is high, can combine the outdoor PM2.5 concentration value to determine whether to start a fresh air mode or an internal circulation mode, or whether to prompt the user to start the fresh air mode or the internal circulation mode through the user terminal, thereby avoiding the pollution of indoor air by introducing outdoor fresh air when the outdoor air quality is poor, and more effectively improving the indoor air quality.

[0005] The present application also provides a control method of an air conditioner.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present application, an air conditioner is provided, comprising: an indoor unit shell, the indoor unit shell being provided with a fresh air inlet, and a panel display screen being arranged on the indoor unit shell; a fresh air damper, the fresh air damper being arranged at the fresh air inlet, and the fresh air damper being used to open or close the fresh air inlet, so as to selectively introduce outdoor fresh air into the room through the fresh air inlet; a first sensor, the first sensor being used to detect the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room; a second sensor, the second sensor being used to detect the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors; a controller, the controller being configured to: when the air conditioner is running, acquire the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors; control the display state of the panel display screen and / or the user terminal, the reminding state of the user terminal, and the state of the fresh air damper according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room, or according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors; wherein the user terminal is in communication connection with the air conditioner through a wireless manner.

[0007] In this way, according to the air conditioner of the embodiments of the present application, the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors can be acquired, when the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room is low, only the preset color of the panel display screen and / or the user terminal can be displayed to represent that the indoor air quality is in the excellent level, and when the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room is high, the fresh air mode or the indoor circulation mode can be determined to be started, or the user can be prompted to start the fresh air mode or the indoor circulation mode through the user terminal, so as to avoid that the outdoor fresh air pollutes the indoor air when the outdoor air quality is poor, and the indoor air quality is more effectively improved.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present application, when the display state of the panel display screen and / or the user terminal, the reminding state of the user terminal, and the state of the fresh air damper are controlled according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room, or according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors, the controller is configured to: acquire whether the air conditioner is started; when the air conditioner is started, control the display state of the panel display screen and / or the user terminal, the reminding state of the user terminal, and the state of the fresh air damper according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room, or according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors; when the air conditioner is not started, control the reminding state of the user terminal according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room, or according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present application, when the air conditioner is turned on, the display state of the panel display screen and / or the user terminal, the reminding state of the user terminal, and the state of the fresh air damper are controlled according to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration or according to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the controller is configured to: obtain whether the air conditioner is turned on the automatic opening of the fresh air damper function; when the air conditioner is turned on the automatic opening of the fresh air damper function, then according to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration or according to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration control the display state of the panel display screen and / or the user terminal, and the state of the fresh air damper; when the automatic opening of the fresh air damper function is not turned on, then according to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration or according to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration control the reminding state of the user terminal.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present application, when the air conditioner is turned on the automatic opening of the fresh air damper function, the display state of the panel display screen and / or the user terminal, and the state of the fresh air damper are controlled according to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration or according to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the controller is configured to: when the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is not greater than a first preset concentration value, the panel display screen and / or the user terminal display the concentration corresponding identifier; when the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is greater than the first preset concentration value, the state of the fresh air damper is controlled according to the outdoor PM2.5 concentration.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present application, when the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is greater than the first preset concentration value, the state of the fresh air damper is controlled according to the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the controller is configured to: when the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is greater than a second preset concentration value, the fresh air damper closes the fresh air inlet and opens the internal circulation mode; when the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is not greater than the second preset concentration value, the fresh air damper opens the fresh air inlet and opens the fresh air external circulation mode.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present application, when the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is greater than the second preset concentration value, the fresh air damper closes the fresh air inlet and opens the internal circulation mode, the controller is configured to: detect whether there is a negative ion generating module; if there is a negative ion generating module, then turn on the negative ion generating module.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, when the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is not greater than a second preset concentration value, the fresh air damper opens the fresh air inlet, and the fresh air external circulation mode is activated, the controller is configured to: perform temperature compensation on the introduced outdoor fresh air based on the outdoor temperature and the indoor temperature.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, when controlling the reminder status of the user terminal based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration, or based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the air conditioner is configured to: when the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is not greater than a first preset value, the user terminal does not issue a reminder; when the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is greater than the first preset value, the reminder status of the user terminal is controlled based on the outdoor PM2.5 concentration.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, when the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is greater than a first preset value, and the reminder status of the user terminal is controlled according to the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the controller is configured to: when the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is not greater than a second preset concentration value, the user terminal reminds the user to open the fresh air damper to open the fresh air inlet and start the fresh air external circulation mode; when the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is greater than the second preset concentration value, the user terminal reminds the user to close the fresh air damper to close the fresh air inlet and start the internal circulation mode.

[0016] A second aspect of the present invention provides a control method for an air conditioner, the control method being used in the air conditioner according to the first aspect of the present invention, the control method comprising the following steps: acquiring the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration; adjusting the display status of the control panel screen, the status of the communication device, and the status of the fresh air damper based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration, or based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration.

[0017] The air conditioner control method according to embodiments of the present invention can obtain the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration. When the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is low, the indoor air quality level can be indicated by displaying a preset color on the panel display and / or the user terminal. When the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is high, the outdoor PM2.5 concentration value can be combined to determine whether to turn on the fresh air mode or the internal circulation mode, or to determine whether to prompt the user to turn on the fresh air mode or the internal circulation mode through the user terminal, so as to avoid introducing outdoor fresh air to pollute the indoor air when the outdoor air quality is poor, and thus more effectively improve the indoor air quality.

[0018] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 This is an overall flowchart of the control method for an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of obtaining indoor volatile organic compound concentration and outdoor PM2.5 concentration in the control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of determining whether the air conditioner is turned on according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the air conditioner control method according to an embodiment of the present invention, after obtaining whether the air conditioner has turned on the automatic fresh air damper function;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the automatic opening of the fresh air damper after the air conditioner is turned on, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 6 This is another flowchart of the control method for an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, after the air conditioner automatically opens the fresh air damper;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, which controls the fresh air damper state based on the outdoor PM2.5 concentration;

[0027] Figure 8 This is another flowchart of the control method for an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, which controls the state of the fresh air damper based on the outdoor PM2.5 concentration;

[0028] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of the air conditioner control method according to an embodiment of the present invention, after detecting whether there is a negative ion generating module;

[0029] Figure 10 This is a flowchart of the control method for an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention after starting the fresh air external circulation;

[0030] Figure 11 This is a flowchart of the control method for an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, when controlling the reminder status of the user terminal;

[0031] Figure 12 This is another flowchart of the control method for an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, when controlling the reminder status of the user terminal;

[0032] Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, specifically when controlling the user's reminder status based on the outdoor PM2.5 concentration;

[0033] Figure 14 This is another flowchart illustrating the control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, specifically when controlling the user's reminder status based on the outdoor PM2.5 concentration. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0035] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0036] In the description of this invention, "first feature" and "second feature" may include one or more of the features.

[0037] In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, and "several" means one or more.

[0038] An air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] like Figures 1-14 As shown, the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an indoor unit housing, which is provided with a fresh air inlet. When the fresh air inlet is opened, the air conditioner can introduce outdoor fresh air into the room through the fresh air inlet to purify the indoor air and improve the indoor air quality. When the fresh air inlet is closed, the air conditioner does not introduce outdoor fresh air, that is, the air conditioner performs indoor air recirculation.

[0040] Furthermore, a panel display can be installed on the indoor unit casing, which can display the air conditioner's operating status and indoor temperature or air quality. For example, the panel display can show the air conditioner's set temperature, the current indoor temperature, and the indoor air quality level (good or excellent).

[0041] The air conditioner may also include a fresh air damper, which is located at the fresh air inlet and is used to open or close the fresh air inlet to selectively introduce outdoor fresh air into the room. In this way, when it is necessary to introduce outdoor fresh air, the fresh air damper can be opened so that the air conditioner can circulate the air externally to improve the indoor air quality. When the fresh air damper is closed, the air external circulation can be closed, that is, the air conditioner does not introduce outdoor fresh air and only uses indoor air for internal circulation.

[0042] An air conditioner may include a first sensor, which is used to detect the concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the room. That is, the first sensor is an indoor sensor. For example, the first sensor can detect acetone released from paint and glue on furniture, benzene released from mattresses and building products, ethanol released from alcohol and cleaning agents, hydrogen sulfide released from rotten food, and nitrosamines in cigarette smoke, among other harmful gases.

[0043] The air conditioner may include a second sensor for detecting the concentration of outdoor PM2.5. In other words, the second sensor is an outdoor sensor, so the air conditioner can simultaneously detect both indoor and outdoor air quality.

[0044] The air conditioner may include a controller, and the controller is configured to:

[0045] S1: When the air conditioner is running, obtain the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration;

[0046] S2: Based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration, or based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the display status of the control panel screen and / or the user terminal, the reminder status of the user terminal, and the status of the fresh air damper; wherein, the user terminal establishes a wireless communication connection with the air conditioner.

[0047] The display status on the panel or the user terminal can be different colors. That is, when the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is within different set concentration ranges, the panel and / or the user terminal can display different colors to remind the user of the current indoor air quality level. Alternatively, the display status can also be text or graphic symbols, which are not limited here, as long as they can reflect the different air quality levels.

[0048] In addition, the reminder status on the user terminal can remind the user to open or close the fresh air damper, that is, to remind the user to turn on the external circulation or the internal circulation through the user terminal.

[0049] For example, the user terminal can be a mobile phone, which can display the indoor air quality level through software or mini-programs, or remind users to open or close the fresh air damper.

[0050] like Figure 2 As shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner detects the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration. When the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds is low, it indicates that the indoor air quality is good. At this time, there is no need to purify the indoor air. The air conditioner can control the display status of the panel screen and / or the user terminal, as well as the status of the fresh air damper, based solely on the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds. For example, the fresh air damper can be closed to allow the air conditioner to drive the indoor air to circulate internally. The air quality level can be displayed on the panel screen and / or the user terminal so that the user can obtain indoor air quality information in real time.

[0051] Of course, in some embodiments, if the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds is low and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is also low, users who want to further improve indoor air quality can choose to open the fresh air damper to introduce fresh outdoor air to further purify the indoor air quality.

[0052] In addition, when the concentration of indoor volatile organic compounds is high, the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration can be combined to control the display status of the control panel and / or the user terminal, the user terminal's reminder status, and the status of the fresh air damper.

[0053] Specifically, at this time, not only can the indoor air quality level be displayed on the panel screen and / or the user terminal, but the user terminal can also remind the user that the concentration of volatile organic compounds indoors is high. In addition, the user can be reminded to open or close the fresh air damper in combination with the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, so as to selectively open the fresh air external circulation or the indoor air internal circulation to purify the indoor air, thereby reducing the concentration of volatile organic compounds indoors and improving indoor air quality.

[0054] Alternatively, the air conditioner can automatically open or close the fresh air damper based on the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration. For example, when the indoor VOC concentration is high and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is low, the fresh air damper can be opened to activate the external fresh air circulation, allowing the air conditioner to introduce outdoor fresh air to purify the indoor air. Conversely, when both the indoor VOC concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration are high, the fresh air damper can be closed to activate the internal air circulation, allowing the air conditioner to purify the indoor air through filters or negative ion generators. This avoids introducing poor-quality outdoor fresh air that could pollute the indoor air, thus more effectively improving indoor air quality.

[0055] Thus, the air conditioner according to the present invention can obtain the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration. When the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is low, the indoor air quality level can be indicated by displaying a preset color on the panel display and / or the user terminal. When the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is high, the air conditioner can determine whether to turn on the fresh air mode or the internal circulation mode by combining the outdoor PM2.5 concentration value, or determine whether to prompt the user to turn on the fresh air mode or the internal circulation mode through the user terminal, so as to avoid introducing outdoor fresh air to pollute the indoor air when the outdoor air quality is poor, and thus more effectively improve the indoor air quality.

[0056] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 3 As shown, when the controller is configured based on the indoor volatile organic compound (VOC) concentration, or based on the indoor VOC concentration and outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the status of the control panel display and / or user terminal, the user terminal's alert status, and the status of the fresh air damper, the controller is configured as follows:

[0057] To determine if the air conditioner is turned on;

[0058] When the air conditioner is turned on, the status of the control panel display and / or user terminal display, the user terminal reminder status, and the status of the fresh air damper are based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration, or based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration.

[0059] When the air conditioner is not turned on, the reminder status of the user terminal is controlled based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration, or based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration.

[0060] In other words, when the air conditioner is turned on, it can control the display screen and / or user terminal to show the indoor air quality level as good or excellent based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration, or based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration. Alternatively, it can remind the user to turn on the fresh air external circulation or indoor air internal circulation through the user terminal, or it can directly control the opening and closing of the fresh air damper to directly turn on the fresh air external circulation or fresh air internal circulation.

[0061] When the air conditioner is not turned on, if the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds is low, there will be no reminder on the user terminal. If the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds is high, the air conditioner can combine the outdoor PM2.5 concentration to control the reminder status on the user terminal. For example, when the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is high, the user terminal can remind the user to turn on the indoor air circulation mode. When the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is low, the user terminal can remind the user to turn on the outdoor air circulation mode.

[0062] Therefore, even if the air conditioner is not turned on, the concentration of volatile organic compounds indoors can be obtained through the first sensor, and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors can be obtained through the second sensor. Thus, when the air conditioner is not turned on and the indoor air quality is poor, the user can be reminded to turn on the fresh air external circulation or fresh air internal circulation through the user terminal, so that the air conditioner can be turned on in time to purify the indoor air and provide a better user experience.

[0063] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 4 As shown, when the air conditioner is turned on, based on the indoor volatile organic compound (VOC) concentration, or based on the indoor VOC concentration and outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the control panel display and / or user terminal display status, user terminal reminder status, and the status of the fresh air damper, the controller is configured as follows:

[0064] Check if the air conditioner has the automatic fresh air damper function turned on;

[0065] When the air conditioner automatically opens the fresh air damper, it will adjust the display status of the control panel and / or the user terminal based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration, or based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, as well as the status of the fresh air damper.

[0066] When the automatic fresh air damper function is not activated, the reminder status on the user terminal is controlled based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration, or based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration.

[0067] In other words, when the air conditioner's automatic fresh air function is activated, it can automatically open or close the fresh air damper based on the indoor volatile organic compound (VOC) concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration. When the air conditioner's automatic fresh air function is not activated, it will not automatically open or close the fresh air damper. In this case, if the air conditioner obtains the indoor VOC concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, it will remind the user to open or close the fresh air damper through the user terminal. That is, the air conditioner can remind the user to turn on the external circulation or internal circulation through the user terminal, so that the user can choose to control the opening or closing of the fresh air damper, resulting in a better user experience.

[0068] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, when the air conditioner automatically opens the fresh air damper function, based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration, or based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the display status of the control panel screen and / or the user terminal, and the status of the fresh air damper, the controller is configured to:

[0069] like Figure 5 As shown, when the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds is not greater than the first preset concentration value, the panel display and / or the user terminal will display the corresponding concentration indicator;

[0070] like Figure 5 As shown, when the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds is greater than the first preset concentration value, the state of the fresh air damper is controlled according to the outdoor PM2.5 concentration.

[0071] The concentration correspondence can be indicated by color. For example, multiple concentration ranges can be set, each corresponding to a different color. When the indoor volatile organic compound (VOC) concentration falls within a certain range, the panel display and / or the user terminal can show the color corresponding to that range to remind the user of the current indoor VOC concentration's "good" or "bad" level. Alternatively, the concentration correspondence can be text or an icon, with different concentration ranges corresponding to different text or icons.

[0072] For example, the concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) indoors can be divided into three levels: excellent, good, and poor. Three colors can be set to correspond to excellent, good, and poor, respectively. When the concentration of VOCs indoors is greater than the first preset concentration value, the panel display and / or the user terminal can display the color corresponding to "poor" to indicate that the indoor air quality is poor at this time.

[0073] Additionally, it should be noted that the concentration range values ​​may have a default value when the air conditioner is manufactured, and users can subsequently reset them on the air conditioner or user terminal according to their own needs.

[0074] Therefore, when the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is not greater than the first preset value, that is, when the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is low, the concentration corresponding indicator can be displayed only through the display screen and / or user terminal, so that users can understand the current indoor air quality level.

[0075] When the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exceeds the first preset value, indicating a high concentration of VOCs, the indoor air quality is poor. Simply reminding users is no longer sufficient to meet their needs. Furthermore, since the air conditioner has an automatic fresh air damper function, it can directly control the opening or closing of the fresh air damper based on the indoor VOC concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration to quickly purify the indoor air, improve indoor air quality, and provide a better user experience.

[0076] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, when the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is greater than a first preset concentration value, and the state of the fresh air damper is controlled according to the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the controller is configured to:

[0077] like Figure 7 As shown, when the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is greater than the second preset concentration value, the fresh air damper closes the fresh air inlet and starts the internal circulation mode.

[0078] like Figure 8 As shown, when the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is not greater than the second preset concentration value, the fresh air damper opens the fresh air inlet and starts the fresh air external circulation mode.

[0079] Therefore, when the outdoor PM2.5 concentration exceeds the second preset concentration value, for example, the second preset concentration value can be 75 ug / m³, 3 When the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is high and the outdoor air quality is poor, the fresh air intake can be closed by opening the fresh air damper. Outdoor fresh air will not enter the room through the fresh air intake. The air conditioner will then turn on the internal circulation mode to purify the indoor air, thus avoiding pollution of the indoor air by the poor outdoor air quality and achieving a better purification effect on the indoor air.

[0080] When the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is not greater than the second preset concentration value, that is, the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is low and the outdoor air quality is good, the fresh air inlet can be opened through the fresh air damper, and outdoor fresh air can enter the room through the fresh air inlet. In other words, the air conditioner purifies the indoor air by introducing outdoor fresh air, and the purification efficiency is higher.

[0081] Thus, when indoor air quality is poor, the air conditioner in this embodiment of the invention can also control the purification method of indoor air in conjunction with outdoor air quality, which ensures the purification efficiency of indoor air and avoids outdoor air from polluting indoor air, further improving the purification effect of indoor air and providing a better user experience.

[0082] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 9 As shown, when the outdoor PM2.5 concentration exceeds the second preset concentration value, the fresh air damper closes the fresh air inlet, and the internal circulation mode is activated, the controller is configured as follows:

[0083] Detect whether a negative ion generating module is present;

[0084] If a negative ion generating module is available, then activate the negative ion generating module.

[0085] Understandably, air conditioners can be selectively equipped with negative ion generators, which can purify indoor air by turning on the negative ion generator.

[0086] Therefore, when the fresh air recirculation mode is turned on, the air conditioner can first detect whether there is a negative ion generating module. If there is no negative ion generating module, the air conditioner can directly purify the indoor air through the filter or other components. If a negative ion generating module is detected, it can be turned on to improve air quality through negative ions.

[0087] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 10 As shown, when the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is no greater than the second preset concentration value, the fresh air damper opens the fresh air inlet, and the fresh air external circulation mode is activated, the controller is configured as follows:

[0088] Temperature compensation is applied to the introduced outdoor fresh air based on the outdoor and indoor temperatures.

[0089] For example, when the outdoor temperature is higher than the indoor temperature, the air conditioner can start cooling while the fresh air external circulation mode is turned on, thus avoiding the indoor temperature from rising after the introduction of outdoor fresh air. Conversely, when the outdoor temperature is lower than the indoor temperature, the air conditioner can start heating while the fresh air external circulation mode is turned on, thus avoiding the indoor temperature from falling after the introduction of outdoor fresh air. This improves the comfort of the air conditioner's airflow and provides a better user experience.

[0090] Of course, when the outdoor temperature and the indoor temperature are the same or close, you can introduce only fresh outdoor air without cooling or heating.

[0091] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, when controlling the user's reminder status based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration, or based on the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the air conditioner is configured as follows:

[0092] like Figure 11 As shown, when the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds is not greater than the first preset value, there is no notification on the user terminal;

[0093] like Figure 12 As shown, when the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds is greater than the first preset value, the alert status of the user terminal is controlled according to the outdoor PM2.5 concentration.

[0094] In other words, when the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds is low, there is no need to remind users through the user terminal. However, when the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds is high, the user terminal can be controlled to remind users to open or close the fresh air damper based on the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, so as to start the fresh air external circulation or the indoor air internal circulation to purify the indoor air.

[0095] Furthermore, when the indoor volatile organic compound concentration exceeds a first preset value, and the user's alert status is controlled based on the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the controller is configured as follows:

[0096] like Figure 13 As shown, when the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is not greater than the second preset concentration value, the user terminal will remind the user to open the fresh air damper to open the fresh air inlet and start the fresh air external circulation mode.

[0097] like Figure 14 As shown, when the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is greater than the second preset concentration value, the user terminal will remind the user to close the fresh air damper to close the fresh air inlet and start the internal circulation mode.

[0098] In this way, when the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is low, the user can be reminded to open the fresh air damper through the terminal, which will then activate the fresh air external circulation to purify the indoor air by introducing fresh outdoor air, resulting in higher purification efficiency. When the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is high, the user can be reminded to close the fresh air damper through the terminal, which will then activate the indoor air internal circulation to purify the indoor air through filters or other components. This avoids introducing poor-quality outdoor air into the indoor air and causing pollution, resulting in a better user experience.

[0099] The control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The control method is used in an air conditioner according to the above embodiment of the present invention, and includes the following steps:

[0100] Obtain indoor volatile organic compound concentrations and outdoor PM2.5 concentrations;

[0101] The status of the control panel display, communication equipment, and fresh air damper is determined based on the indoor volatile organic compound (VOC) concentration, or the indoor VOC and outdoor PM2.5 concentrations.

[0102] Therefore, by detecting the concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) indoors and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors, when the concentration of VOCs indoors is low, it indicates that the indoor air quality is good. At this time, there is no need to purify the indoor air. The air conditioner can control the display screen and / or the user terminal display status, as well as the status of the fresh air damper, based solely on the concentration of VOCs indoors. For example, the fresh air damper can be closed to allow the air conditioner to drive the indoor air to circulate internally. The air quality level of "good" or "excellent" can be displayed on the panel display screen and / or the user terminal, so that users can obtain indoor air quality information in real time.

[0103] Of course, in some embodiments, if the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds is low and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is also low, users who want to further improve indoor air quality can choose to open the fresh air damper to introduce fresh outdoor air to further purify the indoor air quality.

[0104] In addition, when the concentration of indoor volatile organic compounds is high, the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration can be combined to control the display status of the control panel and / or the user terminal, the user terminal's reminder status, and the status of the fresh air damper.

[0105] Specifically, at this time, not only can the indoor air quality level be displayed on the panel display and / or the user terminal, but the user terminal can also remind the user that the concentration of volatile organic compounds indoors is high. In addition, it can be combined with the outdoor PM2.5 concentration to remind the user to open or close the fresh air damper, so as to start the fresh air external circulation or the indoor air internal circulation to purify the indoor air, thereby reducing the concentration of volatile organic compounds indoors and improving indoor air quality.

[0106] Alternatively, the air conditioner can automatically open or close the fresh air damper based on the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration. For example, when the indoor VOC concentration is high and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is low, the fresh air damper can be opened to activate the external fresh air circulation, allowing the air conditioner to introduce outdoor fresh air to purify the indoor air. Conversely, when both the indoor VOC concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration are high, the fresh air damper can be closed to activate the internal air circulation, allowing the air conditioner to purify the indoor air through filters or negative ion generators. This avoids introducing poor-quality outdoor fresh air that could pollute the indoor air, thus more effectively improving indoor air quality.

[0107] The air conditioner control method according to embodiments of the present invention can obtain the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration. When the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is low, the indoor air quality level can be indicated by displaying a preset color on the panel display and / or the user terminal. When the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is high, the outdoor PM2.5 concentration value can be combined to determine whether to turn on the fresh air mode or the internal circulation mode, or to determine whether to prompt the user to turn on the fresh air mode or the internal circulation mode through the user terminal, so as to avoid introducing outdoor fresh air to pollute the indoor air when the outdoor air quality is poor, and thus more effectively improve the indoor air quality.

[0108] Other configurations and operations of the air conditioner and its control method according to embodiments of the present invention are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0109] The air conditioner of this invention performs a refrigeration cycle by using a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator. The refrigeration cycle includes a series of processes involving compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation, and supplies refrigerant to the conditioned and heat-exchanged air.

[0110] The compressor compresses refrigerant gas under high temperature and pressure and discharges the compressed refrigerant gas. The discharged refrigerant gas flows into the condenser. The condenser condenses the compressed refrigerant into a liquid phase, and the heat is released to the surrounding environment through the condensation process.

[0111] The expansion valve expands the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the condenser into a low-pressure liquid refrigerant. The evaporator evaporates the expanded refrigerant in the expansion valve and returns the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas to the compressor. The evaporator achieves its cooling effect by utilizing the latent heat of refrigerant evaporation to exchange heat with the material being cooled. Throughout the cycle, the air conditioner regulates the temperature and humidity of the indoor space.

[0112] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "specific embodiment" or "specific example" refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0113] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An air conditioner characterized by comprising: The air conditioner comprises: an indoor unit shell provided with a fresh air inlet, and a panel display screen arranged on the indoor unit shell; a fresh air damper arranged at the fresh air inlet and used to open or close the fresh air inlet to selectively introduce outdoor fresh air into the room through the fresh air inlet; a first sensor used to detect the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room; a second sensor used to detect the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors; a controller configured to: acquire the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors when the air conditioner is running; control the display state of the panel display screen and / or a user terminal, the reminder state of the user terminal, and the state of the fresh air damper according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room or according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors; wherein the user terminal and the air conditioner are communicatively connected through a wireless manner.

2. The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein In the process of controlling the display state of the panel display screen and / or a user terminal, the reminder state of the user terminal, and the state of the fresh air damper according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room or according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors, the controller is configured to: acquire whether the air conditioner is turned on; when the air conditioner is turned on, control the display state of the panel display screen and / or the user terminal, the reminder state of the user terminal, and the state of the fresh air damper according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room or according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors; when the air conditioner is not turned on, control the reminder state of the user terminal according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room or according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors.

3. The air conditioner of claim 2, wherein In the process of controlling the display state of the panel display screen and / or the user terminal, the reminder state of the user terminal, and the state of the fresh air damper according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room or according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors when the air conditioner is turned on, the controller is configured to: acquire whether the air conditioner is turned on the automatic opening of the fresh air damper function; when the air conditioner is turned on the automatic opening of the fresh air damper function, then control the display state of the panel display screen and / or the user terminal, and the state of the fresh air damper according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room or according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors; when the automatic opening of the fresh air damper function is not turned on, then control the reminder state of the user terminal according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room or according to the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the room and the concentration of PM2.5 outdoors.

4. The air conditioner of claim 3, wherein When the air conditioner starts the automatic opening of the fresh air damper function, controls the display state of the panel display screen and / or the user terminal and the state of the fresh air damper according to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration or according to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the controller is configured to: When the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is not greater than a first preset concentration value, the panel display screen and / or the user terminal displays a concentration corresponding identifier; When the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is greater than the first preset concentration value, the state of the fresh air damper is controlled according to the outdoor PM2.5 concentration.

5. The air conditioner of claim 4, wherein When the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is greater than the first preset concentration value, the state of the fresh air damper is controlled according to the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the controller is configured to: When the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is greater than a second preset concentration value, the fresh air damper closes the fresh air inlet and starts the internal circulation mode; When the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is not greater than the second preset concentration value, the fresh air damper opens the fresh air inlet and starts the fresh air external circulation mode.

6. The air conditioner of claim 5, wherein When the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is greater than the second preset concentration value, the fresh air damper closes the fresh air inlet and starts the internal circulation mode, the controller is configured to: Detect whether there is a negative ion generating module; If there is a negative ion generating module, turn on the negative ion generating module.

7. The air conditioner of claim 5, wherein When the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is not greater than the second preset concentration value, the fresh air damper opens the fresh air inlet and starts the fresh air external circulation mode, the controller is configured to: According to the outdoor temperature and the indoor temperature, the introduced outdoor fresh air is temperature compensated.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by When the air conditioner controls the reminder state of the user terminal according to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration or according to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the air conditioner is configured to: When the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is not greater than a first preset value, the user terminal has no reminder; When the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is greater than the first preset value, the reminder state of the user terminal is controlled according to the outdoor PM2.5 concentration.

9. The air conditioner of claim 8, wherein When the indoor volatile organic compound concentration is greater than the first preset value, the reminder state of the user terminal is controlled according to the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the controller is configured to: When the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is not greater than a second preset concentration value, the user terminal reminds the user to open the fresh air damper to open the fresh air inlet and start the fresh air external circulation mode; When the outdoor PM2.5 concentration is greater than the second preset concentration value, the user terminal reminds the user to close the fresh air damper to close the fresh air inlet and start the internal circulation mode.

10. A control method of an air conditioner, characterized by, The control method for the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1-9, comprising the following steps: Obtain the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration; According to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration, or, according to the indoor volatile organic compound concentration and the outdoor PM2.5 concentration, the display state of the control panel display screen, the state of the communication device and the state of the fresh air damper are controlled.

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