Operation control method and device of air conditioner and readable storage medium

Abstract

The invention discloses an operation control method and device of an air conditioner, the air conditioner and a computer readable storage medium, the air conditioner comprises a compressor, a four-way valve connected with the compressor, an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger are connected with the four-way valve. The compressor is controlled to stop running for a first delay duration and then is restarted; indoor environment temperature and indoor heat exchanger temperature are obtained, and switching delay duration is determined according to the first delay duration, the indoor environment temperature and the indoor heat exchanger temperature; and controlling the four-way valve to switch the conducting state when the timing duration from the stop of the compressor reaches the switching delay duration. According to the technical scheme, the opportunity of switching the conducting state of the four-way valve can better conform to the current operation condition of the air conditioner, the switching delay duration of the four-way valve is prevented from being too long, the risk that a refrigerant still generates impact due to the fact that the switching delay duration of the four-way valve is too short is avoided, and the user experience and safety are improved advantageously.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and in particular to an air conditioner operation control method, operation control device, air conditioner, and computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] The four-way valve in an air conditioner is a crucial component controlling the flow of refrigerant. It allows refrigerant to flow between different pipes, thus enabling the air conditioner's cooling or heating functions. Because the four-way valve contains both high-pressure and low-pressure areas for the refrigerant, a surge of liquid refrigerant can occur when the valve switches between open and closed states. This surge of liquid refrigerant can damage the four-way valve and other related components; therefore, measures must be taken to prevent this from happening.

[0003] Currently, most systems employ a delayed switching method, switching the four-way valve only after the refrigerant piping pressure in the refrigeration system has balanced. However, for ease of control, a fixed delay time is typically used, which presents several potential risks. For instance, under normal operating conditions, an excessively long delay time leads to prolonged waiting times for state switching, resulting in a poorer user experience. Conversely, under harsh operating conditions, an insufficient delay time still carries the risk of refrigerant surge. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and to provide an air conditioner operation control method, operation control device, air conditioner and computer-readable storage medium, which can make the timing of the four-way valve switching conduction state more consistent with the current operating status of the air conditioner, which is conducive to improving user experience and safety.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide an operation control method for an air conditioner, the air conditioner comprising a compressor, a four-way valve connected to the compressor, an indoor heat exchanger connected to the four-way valve, and an outdoor heat exchanger, the method comprising:

[0006] When a mode switching signal is received, the compressor is controlled to stop running for a first delay period and then restart; the mode switching signal is used to indicate the switching between heating operation mode and cooling operation mode.

[0007] The indoor ambient temperature and the indoor heat exchanger temperature are obtained, and a switching delay time is determined based on the first delay time, the indoor ambient temperature, and the indoor heat exchanger temperature; the switching delay time is greater than or equal to the first delay time.

[0008] The switching delay time is reached after the compressor stops running, and the four-way valve is controlled to switch its on / off state.

[0009] The air conditioner operation control method provided by the embodiments of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: After obtaining the mode switching signal, the compressor stops running for a first delay period, which allows the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipeline to flow back from the high-pressure area to the low-pressure area, reducing the high and low pressure difference at each port of the four-way valve, and helping to reduce the risk of refrigerant shock when the four-way valve switches to the conducting state; based on the first delay period, the first delay period is also adjusted according to the indoor ambient temperature and the indoor heat exchanger temperature to obtain the switching delay period corresponding to the four-way valve switching to the conducting state, so that the timing of the four-way valve switching to the conducting state is more consistent with the current operating status of the air conditioner, avoiding the impact on user experience caused by the four-way valve switching delay period being too long, and avoiding the risk of refrigerant shock caused by the four-way valve switching delay period being too short, which helps to improve user experience and safety.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, in the operation control method, when the absolute value of the difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature and the indoor ambient temperature is greater than a first preset value, the first delay time is added to a preset interval time to obtain a new first delay time, and after the timer reaches the preset interval time, the indoor heat exchanger temperature and the indoor ambient temperature are reacquired, and it is re-determined whether the absolute value of the difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature and the indoor ambient temperature is greater than the first preset value.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, in the operation control method, when the absolute value of the difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature and the indoor ambient temperature is less than or equal to the first preset value, the current first delay duration is used as the switching delay duration.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the mode switching signal includes a defrost trigger signal, and the first delay duration is calculated based on a preset defrost reference duration and the indoor ambient temperature and indoor heat exchanger temperature when the defrost trigger signal is obtained.

[0013] According to the operation control method provided in some embodiments of the present invention, the first delay duration is calculated using the following formula:

[0014]

[0015] Where t1 is the first delay duration, T1 is the indoor ambient temperature when the defrost trigger signal is obtained, T2 is the indoor heat exchanger temperature when the defrost trigger signal is obtained, H is the preset defrost reference duration, and a and b are preset coefficients.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the air conditioner further includes an outdoor fan for generating airflow to exchange heat with the outdoor heat exchanger, and the four-way valve controls the outdoor fan to stop operating while switching the conduction state.

[0017] According to some embodiments of the present invention, when the air conditioner is in heating operation mode and the sum of the outdoor heat exchanger temperature and a second preset value is less than or equal to the outdoor ambient temperature, a defrosting trigger signal is generated.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the mode switching signal further includes a defrost exit signal, which is generated when the temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger is greater than or equal to the outdoor ambient temperature.

[0019] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the air conditioner further includes an outdoor fan for generating airflow to exchange heat with the outdoor heat exchanger, and when the defrost exit signal is received, the outdoor fan is controlled to start operation.

[0020] According to some embodiments of the operation control method provided by the present invention, the mode switching signal further includes a heating switching signal and a cooling switching signal from a remote controller or a wired controller.

[0021] In a second aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide an operation control device, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. The processor executes the program to implement the operation control method for an air conditioner as described in the first aspect embodiment above.

[0022] Thirdly, embodiments of the present invention provide an air conditioner including the operation control device described in the second aspect embodiment.

[0023] Fourthly, embodiments of the present invention provide a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the air conditioner operation control method as described in the third aspect embodiment.

[0024] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the structures particularly pointed out in the description, claims, and drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The accompanying drawings are provided to further understand the technical solutions of the present invention and constitute a part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of the present invention to explain the technical solutions of the present invention, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions of the present invention.

[0026] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments;

[0027] Figure 1 This is a system schematic diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the air conditioner operation control method provided in the embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a timing diagram of the operation of the compressor, four-way valve and outdoor fan corresponding to the operation control method of the air conditioner provided in the embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of an air conditioner operation control method provided in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the operation control device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0032] This section will describe in detail specific embodiments of the present invention. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings. The purpose of the drawings is to supplement the textual description with graphics, so that people can intuitively and vividly understand each technical feature and overall technical solution of the present invention, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," "exceeding," etc. are understood to exclude the number itself, while "above," "below," "within," etc. are understood to include the number itself. "At least one" refers to one or more, and "at least one of the following" and similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or multiple items. If "first," "second," etc., are used in the description, they are only for the purpose of distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features or the order of the indicated technical features.

[0034] It should be noted that the terms "setting," "installing," and "connecting" in the embodiments of this invention should be interpreted broadly. Those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution. For example, the term "connection" can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows for mutual communication; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium.

[0035] It should be noted that the technical features involved in the various embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0036] The four-way valve in an air conditioner is a crucial component controlling the flow of refrigerant. It allows refrigerant to flow between different pipes, thus enabling the air conditioner's cooling or heating functions. Because the four-way valve contains both high-pressure and low-pressure areas for the refrigerant, a surge of liquid refrigerant can occur when the valve switches between open and closed states. This surge of liquid refrigerant can damage the four-way valve and other related components; therefore, measures must be taken to prevent this from happening.

[0037] Currently, most systems employ a delayed switching method, switching the four-way valve only after the refrigerant piping pressure in the refrigeration system has balanced. However, for ease of control, a fixed delay time is typically used, which presents several potential risks. For instance, under normal operating conditions, an excessively long delay time leads to prolonged waiting times for state switching, resulting in a poorer user experience. Conversely, under harsh operating conditions, an insufficient delay time still carries the risk of refrigerant surge.

[0038] Based on this, embodiments of the present invention provide an air conditioner operation control method, operation control device, air conditioner, and computer-readable storage medium, which enables the timing of the four-way valve switching conduction state to better match the current operating status of the air conditioner, thereby improving user experience and safety.

[0039] The embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] Figure 1 This is a system schematic diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the air conditioner operation control method provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Reference Figure 1 The air conditioner provided in this embodiment of the invention includes a compressor 100, a four-way valve 200 connected to the compressor 100, an indoor heat exchanger 300 and an outdoor heat exchanger 400 connected to the four-way valve 200, and a throttling device 500 disposed on the refrigerant pipeline between the indoor heat exchanger 300 and the outdoor heat exchanger 400. The throttling device 500 can be an electronic expansion valve or a capillary tube. The compressor 100, the four-way valve 200, the outdoor heat exchanger 400 and the throttling device 500 are generally arranged on the outdoor side, and the indoor heat exchanger 300 is generally arranged on the indoor side.

[0042] Reference Figure 2The air conditioner operation control method provided in the first aspect embodiment of the present invention includes, but is not limited to, steps S210 to S230.

[0043] Step S210: When the mode switching signal is received, control the compressor 100 to stop running for a first delay period and then restart it; the mode switching signal is used to indicate the switching between heating operation mode and cooling operation mode.

[0044] It is understood that the mode switching signal can be generated either externally or internally by the air conditioner. For example, in some embodiments, the mode switching signal is generated by the user operating the air conditioner's remote control or wired controller. In this case, the mode switching signal includes a heating switching signal and a cooling switching signal from the remote control or wired controller. The heating switching signal is used to instruct the air conditioner to switch from cooling operation to heating operation, and the cooling switching signal is used to instruct the air conditioner to switch from heating operation to cooling operation. In other embodiments, the mode switching signal is generated by the air conditioner based on detected temperature parameters. For example, when the air conditioner is in heating operation and the detected outdoor heat exchanger temperature and indoor ambient temperature meet preset defrost trigger conditions, the air conditioner generates a defrost trigger signal to instruct the air conditioner to switch from heating operation to cooling operation, thereby initiating defrost; or, when the air conditioner is in defrost operation and the detected outdoor heat exchanger temperature and indoor ambient temperature meet preset defrost exit conditions, the air conditioner generates a defrost exit signal to instruct the air conditioner to switch from cooling operation to heating operation, thereby exiting defrost.

[0045] It should be noted that the heating operation state refers to the state in which the four-way valve 200 is connected to the outlet of the compressor 100 and the indoor heat exchanger 300, so that the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the outlet of the compressor 100 can be transferred to the indoor heat exchanger 300 for heat release, thereby heating the indoor air; the cooling operation state refers to the state in which the four-way valve 200 is connected to the outlet of the compressor 100 and the outdoor heat exchanger 400, so that the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the outlet of the compressor 100 can be transferred to the outdoor heat exchanger 400 for heat release.

[0046] In this step, after the mode switching signal is received, the compressor 100 stops running for a first delay, which allows the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipeline to flow back from the high-pressure area to the low-pressure area, reducing the high and low pressure difference at each port of the four-way valve 200. This helps to reduce the risk of refrigerant shock when the four-way valve 200 switches to the on state.

[0047] Step S220: Obtain the indoor ambient temperature and the indoor heat exchanger temperature, and determine the switching delay duration based on the first delay duration, the indoor ambient temperature, and the indoor heat exchanger temperature; the switching delay duration is greater than or equal to the first delay duration.

[0048] Step S230: When the time elapsed since the compressor 100 stopped running reaches the switching delay time, control the four-way valve 200 to switch to the on state.

[0049] According to the air conditioner operation control method provided in the embodiments of the present invention, based on the first delay time, the first delay time is further adjusted according to the indoor ambient temperature and the indoor heat exchanger temperature to obtain the switching delay time corresponding to the switching conduction state of the four-way valve 200. This makes the timing of the switching conduction state of the four-way valve 200 more consistent with the current operating status of the air conditioner, avoiding the impact on user experience caused by the excessively long switching delay time of the four-way valve 200, and avoiding the risk of refrigerant impact caused by the excessively short switching delay time of the four-way valve 200, which is beneficial to improving user experience and safety.

[0050] In the operation control method provided in some embodiments of the present invention, when the absolute value of the difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature and the indoor ambient temperature is less than or equal to a first preset value, the current first delay time t1 is used as the switching delay time.

[0051] In this embodiment, the indoor ambient temperature is denoted as T1, and the indoor heat exchanger temperature is denoted as T2. The first preset value can be set to 10 for example. Therefore, in this embodiment, when |T2-T1|≤10, the switching delay time corresponding to the four-way valve 200 is the same as the first delay time t1 corresponding to the compressor 100 stopping operation. That is, when the compressor 100 restarts, the four-way valve 200 also switches to the conducting state, causing the air conditioner to switch to another operating state. This is because the difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature and the indoor ambient temperature is small, and the high and low pressure difference inside the four-way valve 200 is not too large. Using the first delay time t1 as the switching delay time for the four-way valve 200 is sufficient to avoid refrigerant shock when the four-way valve 200 switches, and also to prevent the switching delay time of the four-way valve 200 from being too long and affecting the user experience.

[0052] In the operation control method provided in some embodiments of the present invention, when the absolute value of the difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature T2 and the indoor ambient temperature T1 is greater than a first preset value, that is, when |T2-T1|≤10, the first delay time t1 is added to the preset interval time t2 to obtain a new first delay time t1, and after the time reaches the preset interval time t2, the indoor heat exchanger temperature T2 and the indoor ambient temperature T1 are reacquired, and it is re-determined whether the absolute value of the difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature T2 and the indoor ambient temperature T1 is greater than the first preset value.

[0053] In this embodiment, when |T2-T1>10, before assigning the first delay duration t1 to the switching delay duration, a preset interval duration t2 is added to the original duration value until the absolute value of the difference between the reacquired indoor heat exchanger temperature T2 and the indoor ambient temperature T1 is less than or equal to the first preset value. Therefore, when the current first delay duration t1 is used as the switching delay duration, it may have already added several preset interval durations t2 to the original first delay duration t1 corresponding to the compressor 100 stopping operation. For example, the preset interval duration t2 can be set to 5 seconds to 30 seconds. Understandably, when the absolute value of the difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature T2 and the indoor ambient temperature T1 is large, the high and low pressure difference inside the four-way valve 200 is large. It is necessary to extend the original first delay time t1 corresponding to the compressor 100 stopping operation according to the indoor heat exchanger temperature T2 and the indoor ambient temperature T1, so as to avoid refrigerant shock when the four-way valve 200 switches, so that the timing of the four-way valve 200 switching the conduction state is more in line with the current operating status of the air conditioner, which is conducive to improving safety.

[0054] Additionally, it should be noted that when the air conditioner is in heating mode, moisture in the air will condense into frost on the outdoor heat exchanger 400, which will affect the air conditioner's heating performance. To eliminate frost on the outdoor heat exchanger 400, the air conditioner is usually set to a defrost mode, meaning that the air conditioner cycles between heating and defrosting modes during the heating process.

[0055] In the operation control method provided in some embodiments of the present invention, the mode switching signal includes a defrost trigger signal, and the first delay duration t1 is calculated based on the preset defrost reference duration H and the indoor ambient temperature T1 and indoor heat exchanger temperature T2 when the defrost trigger signal is obtained.

[0056] In this embodiment, the mode switching signal is generated inside the air conditioner. The setting of the first delay duration t1 also changes with the current indoor ambient temperature T1 and indoor heat exchanger temperature T2. This makes the duration for which the compressor 100 stops running during the switching transition phase change with the operating parameters of the air conditioner. The duration for which the compressor 100 stops running is more consistent with the current operating status of the air conditioner, avoiding the compressor 100 stopping for too long or too short a duration, which would affect the user experience.

[0057] In some embodiments of the operation control method provided by the present invention, the first delay duration is calculated using the following formula:

[0058]

[0059] Where t1 is the first delay duration, T1 is the indoor ambient temperature when the defrost trigger signal is obtained, T2 is the indoor heat exchanger temperature when the defrost trigger signal is obtained, H is the preset defrost reference duration, and a and b are preset coefficients.

[0060] In this embodiment, the first delay time t1 is calculated based on the ratio of the indoor heat exchanger temperature T2 when the defrost trigger signal is obtained to the indoor ambient temperature T1 when the defrost trigger signal is obtained, and based on the preset defrost reference duration H, combined with preset coefficients a and b for weighted summation. This takes into account both the preset reference parameters and the current operating status of the air conditioner, avoiding the compressor 100 from stopping for too long or too short a time, thereby affecting the user experience.

[0061] In the operation control method provided in some embodiments of the present invention, refer to Figure 1 The air conditioner also includes an outdoor fan 600 for generating airflow to exchange heat with the outdoor heat exchanger 400. The four-way valve 200 switches the conduction state while controlling the outdoor fan 600 to stop running.

[0062] In this embodiment, while the four-way valve 200 switches to the on state, the external fan 600 stops running, which helps to accelerate defrosting.

[0063] In the operation control method provided in some embodiments of the present invention, when the air conditioner is in heating operation mode and the sum of the outdoor heat exchanger temperature T3 and the second preset value is less than or equal to the outdoor ambient temperature T4, a defrosting trigger signal is generated.

[0064] In this embodiment, when the air conditioner is in heating mode, the outdoor ambient temperature T4 is generally low. If the sum of the outdoor heat exchanger temperature T3 and the second preset value is also less than or equal to the outdoor ambient temperature T4, it means that the outdoor heat exchanger temperature T3 is even lower, the outdoor heat exchanger 400 has been frosted, and it needs to be switched to defrosting mode.

[0065] In the operation control method provided in some embodiments of the present invention, the mode switching signal also includes a defrost exit signal, which is generated when the outdoor heat exchanger temperature T3 is greater than or equal to the outdoor ambient temperature T4.

[0066] In this embodiment, when the air conditioner is running in defrost mode, the outdoor heat exchanger 400 exchanges heat with the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant provided by the air outlet of the compressor 100. The temperature T3 of the outdoor heat exchanger will gradually increase. When it rises to a level greater than the outdoor ambient temperature T4, it indicates that defrosting is complete, and a defrost exit signal can be generated at this time.

[0067] In some embodiments of the present invention, the air conditioner further includes an outdoor fan 600 for generating airflow to exchange heat with the outdoor heat exchanger 400. When a defrost exit signal is received, the outdoor fan 600 is controlled to start operation.

[0068] In this embodiment, upon receiving the defrost exit signal, the outdoor fan 600 is controlled to start operation, thereby improving the heat exchange effect of the outdoor heat exchanger 400.

[0069] Below, in conjunction with Figure 3 The diagram shows the timing sequence of the operation of the corresponding compressor, four-way valve, and outdoor fan, as well as... Figure 4 The flowchart shown provides a comprehensive overview of the operation control method provided in a detailed embodiment of the present invention.

[0070] The operation control method includes, but is not limited to, steps S401 to S415, specifically:

[0071] Step S401: The air conditioner is operating in heating mode; proceed to step S402;

[0072] Step S402: Real-time acquisition of outdoor heat exchanger temperature T3 and outdoor ambient temperature T4. When the sum of outdoor heat exchanger temperature T3 and a second preset value is less than or equal to outdoor ambient temperature T4, proceed to step S403 and enter the transition stage; wherein, the second preset value is exemplarily set to 5.

[0073] Step S403: The compressor stops running for a duration of t1, where t1 is calculated using the formula... The calculations show that T1 is the current indoor ambient temperature, T2 is the current indoor heat exchanger temperature, H is the preset defrosting reference time, and a and b are preset coefficients; proceed to step S404.

[0074] Step S404: After the compressor has been stopped for t1, the compressor restarts; proceed to step S405;

[0075] Step S405: Reacquire the current indoor ambient temperature T1 and indoor heat exchanger temperature T2; Proceed to step S406;

[0076] Step S406: Determine whether the absolute value of the difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature T2 and the indoor ambient temperature T1 is greater than a first preset value; wherein, the first preset value is exemplarily set to 10; if yes, proceed to step S407, otherwise proceed to step S410.

[0077] Step S407: The four-way valve does not switch its on / off state; proceed to step S408;

[0078] Step S408: After an interval of time t2, reacquire the current indoor ambient temperature T1 and indoor heat exchanger temperature T2; wherein, t2 is exemplarily taken as 5s to 30s; proceed to step S409;

[0079] Step S409: Determine again whether the absolute value of the difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature T2 and the indoor ambient temperature T1 is greater than the first preset value; if yes, proceed to step S407, otherwise proceed to step S410.

[0080] Step S410: The four-way valve switches to the on state, exiting the transition stage; proceed to step S411;

[0081] Step S411: The external fan stops running; proceed to step S412;

[0082] Step S412: Run in defrost mode; Proceed to step S413;

[0083] Step S413: Obtain the current outdoor heat exchanger temperature T3 and outdoor ambient temperature T4. When the outdoor heat exchanger temperature T3 is greater than the outdoor ambient temperature T4, proceed to step S414.

[0084] Step S414: The outdoor fan starts running and exits defrosting mode; proceed to step S415;

[0085] Step S415: Enter another transition phase; it can be understood that this other transition phase is consistent with the steps and principles of the transition phases corresponding to steps S403 to S410, and will not be repeated here; proceed to step S401, and run in heating mode again.

[0086] In the air conditioner operation control method provided in this embodiment, after the defrosting trigger condition set in step S402 is met, the compressor stops running for a duration of t1. This allows the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipeline to flow back from the high-pressure area to the low-pressure area, reducing the high and low pressure difference at each port of the four-way valve. This helps reduce the risk of refrigerant shock when the four-way valve switches to the on state. Based on the duration t1 corresponding to the compressor stopping operation, the switching delay time corresponding to the switching state of the four-way valve is also adjusted according to the indoor ambient temperature T1 and the indoor heat exchanger temperature T2. This makes the timing of the four-way valve switching state more consistent with the current operating status of the air conditioner, avoiding the impact on user experience caused by an excessively long switching delay time of the four-way valve, and avoiding the risk of refrigerant shock caused by an excessively short switching delay time of the four-way valve. This helps improve user experience and safety.

[0087] It should be noted that, Figure 3In the action timing diagram shown, both transition phases include an interval time t2. However, in some other embodiments, the transition phase may only include a duration t1 and not an interval time t2; or the transition phase may include a duration t1 and multiple interval times t2, the number of interval times t2 being determined based on the detected indoor ambient temperature T1 and indoor heat exchanger temperature T2.

[0088] Furthermore, a second aspect of the present invention provides an operation control device 700, including a memory 710, a processor 720, and a computer program stored in the memory 710 and executable on the processor 720. The processor 720 executes the program to implement the air conditioner operation control method of the first aspect embodiment described above, for example, by executing... Figure 2 Method steps S210 to S230, or execution Figure 4 The method steps S401 to S415.

[0089] In addition, a third aspect of the present invention provides an air conditioner including the operation control device 700 of the second aspect embodiment.

[0090] Furthermore, a fourth aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform an operation control method for an air conditioner as described in the third aspect embodiment, for example, executing... Figure 2 Method steps S210 to S230, or execution Figure 4 The method steps S401 to S415.

[0091] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that all or some of the steps and systems in the methods disclosed above can be implemented as software, firmware, hardware, and suitable combinations thereof. Some or all of the physical components can be implemented as software executed by a processor, such as a central processing unit, digital signal processor, or microprocessor, or as hardware, or as an integrated circuit, such as an application-specific integrated circuit. Such software can be distributed on a computer-readable medium, which may include computer storage media or non-transitory media and communication media or transient media. As is known to those skilled in the art, the term computer storage media includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile disc DVD or other optical disc storage, magnetic cartridges, magnetic tape, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store desired information and is accessible to a computer. Furthermore, as is known to those skilled in the art, communication media typically contain computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in modulated data signals such as carrier waves or other transmission mechanisms, and may include any information delivery medium.

[0092] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the operation of an air conditioner, characterized in that, The air conditioner includes a compressor, a four-way valve connected to the compressor, an indoor heat exchanger connected to the four-way valve, and an outdoor heat exchanger. The method includes: When a mode switching signal is received, the compressor is controlled to stop running for a first delay period and then restart; the mode switching signal is used to indicate the switching between heating operation mode and cooling operation mode. The indoor ambient temperature and the indoor heat exchanger temperature are obtained, and a switching delay time is determined based on the first delay time, the indoor ambient temperature, and the indoor heat exchanger temperature; the switching delay time is greater than or equal to the first delay time. The switching delay time is reached after the compressor stops running, and the four-way valve is controlled to switch its on / off state.

2. The operation control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the absolute value of the difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature and the indoor ambient temperature is less than or equal to the first preset value, the current first delay duration is used as the switching delay duration.

3. The operation control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the absolute value of the difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature and the indoor ambient temperature is greater than a first preset value, the first delay time is added to the preset interval time to obtain a new first delay time. After the preset interval time is reached, the indoor heat exchanger temperature and the indoor ambient temperature are reacquired, and it is re-determined whether the absolute value of the difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature and the indoor ambient temperature is greater than the first preset value.

4. The operation control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mode switching signal includes a defrost trigger signal, and the first delay duration is calculated based on a preset defrost reference duration and the indoor ambient temperature and indoor heat exchanger temperature when the defrost trigger signal is obtained.

5. The operation control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first delay duration is calculated using the following formula: Where t1 is the first delay duration, T1 is the indoor ambient temperature when the defrost trigger signal is obtained, T2 is the indoor heat exchanger temperature when the defrost trigger signal is obtained, H is the preset defrost reference duration, and a and b are preset coefficients.

6. The operation control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The air conditioner also includes an outdoor fan for generating airflow to exchange heat with the outdoor heat exchanger. When the four-way valve switches to the on state, it controls the outdoor fan to stop running.

7. The operation control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the air conditioner is in heating mode, and the sum of the outdoor heat exchanger temperature and the second preset value is less than or equal to the outdoor ambient temperature, the defrost trigger signal is generated.

8. The operation control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The mode switching signal also includes a defrost exit signal, which is generated when the temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger is greater than or equal to the outdoor ambient temperature.

9. The operation control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The air conditioner also includes an outdoor fan for generating airflow to exchange heat with the outdoor heat exchanger. When the defrost exit signal is received, the outdoor fan is controlled to start operation.

10. The operation control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mode switching signals also include heating and cooling switching signals from the remote control or wired controller.

11. An operation control device, characterized in that, The device includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the program to implement the operation control method for an air conditioner as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. An air conditioner, characterized in that, Includes the operation control device as described in claim 11.

13. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the operation control method for an air conditioner as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

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