Air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner is provided. One embodiment of the air conditioner is characterized by including: a compressor that compresses and discharges refrigerant; an indoor heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and indoor air; and a control unit that controls the heat exchanger cleaning process, wherein the control unit performs: a step of accumulating a pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger, taking indoor humidity and the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger as factors; and a step of comparing the accumulated pollution index with a first benchmark pollution index, wherein if the accumulated pollution index is higher than or equal to the first benchmark pollution index, the control unit performs the heat exchanger cleaning process. This effectively reduces the pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to air conditioners, and more particularly to an air conditioner capable of removing foreign matter adsorbed on an indoor heat exchanger. Background Technology

[0002] To create a comfortable indoor environment, air conditioners regulate indoor temperature and purify indoor air by expelling cool or warm air, thus providing people with a more comfortable indoor environment. Typically, an air conditioner consists of an indoor unit, which comprises a heat exchanger and is located indoors; and an outdoor unit, which comprises a compressor and heat exchanger, and supplies refrigerant to the indoor unit.

[0003] Air conditioners cool or heat based on the flow of refrigerant. For example, during cooling operation, high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant is supplied from the outdoor unit's compressor to the indoor unit via the outdoor unit's heat exchanger. As the refrigerant expands and vaporizes in the indoor unit's heat exchanger, it forms cool air, which is then supplied to the room as the indoor unit's fan rotates. Conversely, during heating operation, high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant is supplied from the outdoor unit's compressor to the indoor unit. The air heated by the energy released during the liquefaction of the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant in the indoor unit's heat exchanger is then supplied to the room by the operation of the indoor unit's fan.

[0004] During air conditioner operation, foreign objects such as dust can adhere to the heat exchanger of the indoor unit. For example, during cooling operation, condensation may occur in the heat exchanger of the indoor unit due to heat exchange between the refrigerant and the indoor air. If some of this condensation forms on the surface of the heat exchanger or remains in the drain pipe, it may attract foreign objects from the condensation.

[0005] As mentioned above, when foreign objects adhere to the heat exchanger of an indoor unit, these objects, such as bacteria and mold, can multiply, leading to increased contamination levels. This not only causes discomfort for users but also affects their health. Therefore, various studies on cleaning indoor unit heat exchangers to reduce contamination levels by removing foreign objects adsorbed on them are underway.

[0006] In existing air conditioners, to remove foreign matter adsorbed on the heat exchanger and other components of the indoor unit, as shown in prior art 1 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-014288), frost is formed on the surface of the heat exchanger of the indoor unit using refrigerant circulation, and then a defrosting operation is performed to remove the frost formed on the surface of the heat exchanger. During this defrosting operation, as the water formed on the surface of the heat exchanger flows out, the foreign matter adsorbed on the heat exchanger and other components of the indoor unit is removed along with the water.

[0007] In addition, in existing air conditioners, as shown in prior art 2 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-200128), water droplets are first condensed on the surface of the heat exchanger before frost forms on the surface of the indoor unit, so that more water can be discharged when removing foreign objects.

[0008] On the other hand, from an energy efficiency perspective, it is preferable to perform indoor unit heat exchanger cleaning only when the pollution level exceeds a specified baseline value. Therefore, the air conditioner needs to measure the pollution level of the indoor unit's heat exchanger in real time. However, there are technical challenges in directly measuring the pollution level of the indoor unit's heat exchanger. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The purpose of embodiments of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner that can effectively reduce the pollution level of indoor heat exchangers.

[0010] The purpose of embodiments of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner that can use a predictive model calculated by machine learning based on big data to predict the pollution level of an indoor heat exchanger and inform the user of the expected pollution state of the heat exchanger.

[0011] The purpose of embodiments of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner that can effectively manage the contamination level of an indoor heat exchanger by using a predictive model calculated using big data-based machine learning to predict the contamination level of the indoor heat exchanger and perform cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0012] An air conditioner according to an embodiment for solving the above-mentioned problems is characterized by comprising: a compressor that compresses and discharges refrigerant; an indoor heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and indoor air; and a control unit that controls a heat exchanger cleaning process for cleaning the indoor heat exchanger, the control unit performing: a step of accumulating a pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger taking indoor humidity and the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger as factors; and a step of comparing the accumulated pollution index with a first benchmark pollution index, wherein if the accumulated pollution index is higher than or equal to the first benchmark pollution index, the control unit performs the heat exchanger cleaning process.

[0013] If the cumulative pollution index is less than the first benchmark pollution index, the control unit may return to the step of accumulating the pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0014] If the cumulative pollution index is above the first benchmark pollution index, the control unit may perform a step of determining whether the conditions for performing the heat exchanger cleaning process are met before the heat exchanger cleaning process. If the conditions for performing the heat exchanger cleaning process are met, the control unit may perform the heat exchanger cleaning process. If the conditions for performing the heat exchanger cleaning process are not met, the control unit may return to the step of accumulating the pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0015] Before determining whether the conditions for performing the heat exchanger cleaning process are met, the control unit may perform a cleaning notification step to inform the user that the heat exchanger cleaning process is required.

[0016] The air conditioner may also include a display unit that outputs the status of the indoor heat exchanger. In the cleaning notification step, the display unit may show that the heat exchanger needs to be cleaned, or the display unit may show that the heat exchanger needs to be cleaned on the user's remote device.

[0017] The characteristic feature is that the step of determining whether the conditions for performing the heat exchanger cleaning process are met can be a step of determining whether the indoor temperature of the space where the indoor heat exchanger is configured and the outdoor temperature outside the space are included in the reference temperature range.

[0018] When the heat exchanger cleaning process ends, the control unit can perform a step to determine whether the heat exchanger cleaning process is complete. If the heat exchanger cleaning process is complete and ends, the control unit can perform a step to initialize the cumulative contamination index. If the heat exchanger cleaning process is not complete and ends, the control unit can return to the step of comparing the cumulative contamination index with the first benchmark contamination index.

[0019] The feature is that when the heat exchanger cleaning process ends, the control unit can perform a step of determining whether the heat exchanger cleaning process is completed. If the heat exchanger cleaning process is completed and ends, the control unit can perform: a step of counting the number of times the heat exchanger cleaning process is repeated; and a step of resetting the cumulative contamination index. In the step of resetting the cumulative contamination index, as the number of times the heat exchanger cleaning process is repeated increases, the reset value of the cumulative contamination index can increase.

[0020] The feature is that when the heat exchanger cleaning process ends, the control unit can perform a step of determining whether the heat exchanger cleaning process is completed. If the heat exchanger cleaning process is completed and ends, the control unit can perform: a step of counting the number of times the heat exchanger cleaning process is repeated; and a step of resetting the first benchmark contamination index. In the step of resetting the first benchmark contamination index, as the number of times the heat exchanger cleaning process is repeated increases, the reset value of the first benchmark contamination index can decrease.

[0021] If the heat exchanger cleaning process is not completed and terminated, the control unit may return to the step of comparing the cumulative contamination index with the first benchmark contamination index.

[0022] The control unit is characterized in that, when the cumulative pollution index is higher than or equal to the first benchmark pollution index, it can perform a step of determining whether the conditions for performing the heat exchanger cleaning process are met. If the conditions for performing the heat exchanger cleaning process are met, the control unit can perform the heat exchanger cleaning process. If the conditions for performing the heat exchanger cleaning process are not met, the control unit can perform a step of comparing the cumulative pollution index with the second benchmark pollution index. In the step of comparing the cumulative pollution index with the second benchmark pollution index, if the cumulative pollution index is higher than or equal to the second benchmark pollution index, the control unit can perform a step of informing the user of a cleaning service recommendation notification that the user is in a situation requiring cleaning services. If the cumulative pollution index is lower than the second benchmark pollution index, the control unit can return to the step of accumulating the pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0023] The heat exchanger cleaning process may include: the step of condensing water on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger; the step of freezing the condensed water; and the step of drying the surface of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0024] The step of accumulating the pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger by taking indoor humidity and indoor heat exchanger temperature as factors can be a step of calculating the pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger using a pollution degree prediction model that takes indoor humidity and indoor heat exchanger temperature as factors, wherein the pollution degree prediction model can be a model calculated by using big data machine learning.

[0025] According to embodiments of the present invention, the pollution level of indoor heat exchangers can be effectively reduced.

[0026] According to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to predict the pollution level of an indoor heat exchanger by using a predictive model calculated using big data machine learning and to inform the user of the expected pollution status of the heat exchanger.

[0027] According to embodiments of the present invention, the contamination level of an indoor heat exchanger can be predicted and cleaning can be performed by using a predictive model calculated using big data-based machine learning, thereby enabling effective management of the contamination level of the indoor heat exchanger. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an air conditioner according to one embodiment.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit according to one embodiment.

[0030] Figure 3 This is a block diagram of an air conditioner according to one embodiment.

[0031] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of an air conditioner's operation method.

[0032] Figure 5 This is a pollution index table used to accumulate the pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger of an air conditioner in one embodiment.

[0033] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of cleaning the indoor heat exchanger in an air conditioner according to one embodiment.

[0034] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the pollution level of an indoor heat exchanger in an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

[0035] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating an example of an air conditioner's display unit showing the status of a heat exchanger.

[0036] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating an example of an air conditioner's display unit showing the status of a heat exchanger cleaning operation.

[0037] Figure 10 and Figure 11 This is an example diagram showing a screen of a remote device that can control the operation of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

[0038] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating an air conditioner operation method according to another embodiment.

[0039] Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation method of an air conditioner according to yet another embodiment.

[0040] Figure 14 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation method of an air conditioner according to yet another embodiment.

[0041] Figure 15 This is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an air conditioner comprising a plurality of indoor units, according to another embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The following is related to the appendix. Figure 1 The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments thereof. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrating the technical concept of the present invention. Other backward inventions or other embodiments included within the technical concept of the present invention can be easily proposed by adding, changing, or deleting other constituent elements.

[0043] To clearly and concisely illustrate the invention, irrelevant parts have been omitted from the drawings, and the same or very similar parts are given the same reference numerals throughout the specification.

[0044] In the following description, the suffixes "module" and "section" used for constituent elements are assigned for ease of writing the specification and do not have any particularly important meaning or function in themselves. Therefore, the terms "module" and "section" may be used interchangeably.

[0045] In this specification, the terms “comprising” or “having” should be understood as indicating the presence of the features, figures, steps, actions, constituent elements, components or combinations thereof disclosed in this specification, and not as excluding in advance the presence or additional possibility of one or more other features, figures, steps, actions, constituent elements, components or combinations thereof.

[0046] Furthermore, in this specification, terms such as "first" and "second" may be used to describe various elements, but these elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another.

[0047] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an air conditioner according to one embodiment.

[0048] Reference Figure 1 One embodiment of the air conditioner 100 may include an outdoor unit 21 and an indoor unit 31 connected to the outdoor unit 21. Figure 1 In the example shown, the indoor unit 31 is a freestanding indoor unit, but it is not limited to this. The indoor unit 31 can also be applied to other types of indoor units such as wall-mounted indoor units and ceiling-mounted indoor units.

[0049] In one embodiment, the air conditioner 100 may further include a remote device 41 configured to control both the outdoor unit 21 and the indoor unit 31. That is, a user can control the operation of the air conditioner 100 via the remote device 41. As an example, the remote device 41 may be a dedicated remote control for the air conditioner 100, but it is not limited to this; it may be a terminal device such as a smartphone with an application installed that can control the air conditioner 100.

[0050] Furthermore, the air conditioner 100 in one embodiment may also include at least one of a ventilation device, an air purification device, a humidification device, and a heater configured to operate in conjunction with the operation of the indoor unit 31 and the outdoor unit 21.

[0051] Outdoor unit 21 enables the equipped compressor ( Figure 2 The '102' operation compresses the refrigerant and supplies it to the indoor unit 31 according to the settings. The outdoor unit 21 can be driven according to the needs of the remote device 41 or the indoor unit 31. At this time, as the cooling / heating capacity changes according to the driven indoor unit 31, the number of outdoor units 21 in operation and the number of compressors 102 installed on the outdoor unit 21 in operation can also change.

[0052] Indoor unit 31 receives refrigerant from outdoor unit 21. Indoor unit 31 then supplies air that has undergone heat exchange with the received refrigerant into the room.

[0053] Outdoor unit 21 and indoor unit 31 transmit and receive data. As an example, outdoor unit 21 and indoor unit 31 can be connected via a communication cable to transmit and receive data. Alternatively, outdoor unit 21 and indoor unit 31 can also be connected to remote device 41 via wired or wireless means and operate according to the control of remote device 41. Furthermore, outdoor unit 21 and indoor unit 31 can also be connected to a management server via wired or wireless means to transmit and receive data.

[0054] Reference Figure 2 This section describes the detailed structure of the outdoor unit 21 and the indoor unit 31.

[0055] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit according to one embodiment.

[0056] Reference Figure 2 In one embodiment, the outdoor unit 21 of the air conditioner 100 may include: a compressor 102 for compressing refrigerant; an outdoor heat exchanger 104 for dissipating heat from the compressed refrigerant; an outdoor fan 105 disposed on one side of the outdoor heat exchanger 104 and for promoting heat dissipation from the refrigerant; an expansion valve 106 for expanding the condensed refrigerant; and a cooling / heating switching valve 110 for changing the flow path of the compressed refrigerant.

[0057] On the other hand, the outdoor unit 21 of the air conditioner 100 in one embodiment may also include: a compressor motor 102b for driving the compressor 102; and a liquid receiver 103 for temporarily storing vaporized refrigerant and supplying refrigerant at a specified pressure to the compressor 102 after removing moisture and foreign matter.

[0058] In another embodiment, the outdoor fan 105 may include: an outdoor fan 105a that generates airflow by rotating; and a motor 105b that causes the outdoor fan 105a to rotate.

[0059] As an example, expansion valve 106 may be an electronic expansion valve (EEV).

[0060] In one embodiment, the indoor unit 31 of the air conditioner 100 may include: an indoor heat exchanger 108 disposed indoors and performing cooling / heating functions; and an indoor fan 109 disposed on one side of the indoor heat exchanger 108 and promoting refrigerant heat dissipation. As an example, the indoor fan 109 may include: an indoor fan 109a that creates airflow by rotating; and a motor 109b that causes the indoor fan 109a to rotate.

[0061] In one embodiment, the indoor unit 31 of the air conditioner 100 may include at least one indoor heat exchanger 108. It is understood that in this specification, the heat exchanger 108 of the indoor unit 31 and the indoor heat exchanger 108 refer to the same configuration. On the other hand, the compressor 102 may use at least one of an inverter compressor and a fixed-frequency compressor.

[0062] In addition, the air conditioner 100 may be composed of a refrigeration unit that cools the room, or it may be composed of a heat pump that cools or heats the room.

[0063] Figure 3 This is a block diagram of an air conditioner according to one embodiment.

[0064] Reference Figure 3 An air conditioner 100 in one embodiment may include: a communication unit 310, a sensor unit 320, a memory 330, a fan drive unit 340 for driving a fan 341, a compressor drive unit 350 for driving a compressor 102, a control unit 360, and a display unit 370.

[0065] The communication unit 310 may include at least one communication module. As an example, the communication unit 310 may be respectively installed in the outdoor unit 21 and the indoor unit 31. The outdoor unit 21 and the indoor unit 31 can send and receive data to each other through their respective communication units 310. As an example, the communication method between the outdoor unit 21 and the indoor unit 31 can include not only wired communication, serial communication (e.g., RS-485 communication), and wired communication via refrigerant piping, but also wireless communication methods such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Beacon, and Zigbee.

[0066] The communication unit 310 can be configured to send and receive data with external devices. As an example, the communication unit 310 can send and receive data by accessing a remote device 41 or a management server connected to an external network.

[0067] The sensor unit 320 may have at least one sensor. The sensor unit 320 can transmit the measured values ​​measured by the sensor to the control unit 360.

[0068] Additionally, the sensor unit 320 may include a pressure sensor (not shown) configured to measure the pressure of gaseous refrigerant flowing through each pipe of the air conditioner 100. As an example, the pressure sensor may be configured to measure the pressure of refrigerant flowing into the compressor 102 (hereinafter, suction pressure) and / or the pressure of refrigerant discharged from the compressor 102 (hereinafter, discharge pressure) via a pipe connected to the compressor 102.

[0069] Additionally, the sensor unit 320 may include a temperature sensor 321 for measuring temperature. The temperature sensor 321 may include: an indoor temperature sensor (not shown) for measuring the indoor temperature where the indoor unit 31 is installed; an outdoor temperature sensor (not shown) for measuring the outdoor temperature where the outdoor unit 21 is installed; a heat exchanger temperature sensor (not shown) configured to be disposed inside the indoor heat exchanger 108 and measure the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 108; and a piping temperature sensor (not shown) configured to measure the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through each piping of the air conditioner 100.

[0070] The piping temperature sensor can be configured on the inlet-side piping and / or the outlet-side piping of the indoor unit 31 to measure the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the piping. As an example, the piping temperature sensor can be configured on the piping connected to the compressor 102 to measure the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the compressor 102 (hereinafter, suction temperature) and / or the temperature of the refrigerant discharging from the compressor 102 (hereinafter, discharge temperature).

[0071] Additionally, the sensor unit 320 may include a humidity sensor 322 for measuring humidity. The humidity sensor 322 may include: an indoor humidity sensor (not shown) for measuring the humidity of the room where the indoor unit 31 is installed; and an outdoor humidity sensor (not shown) for measuring the humidity of the room where the outdoor unit 21 is installed.

[0072] In one embodiment, the air conditioner 100 can predict the pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 by using the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 108 measured by the heat exchanger temperature sensor and the indoor humidity measured by the humidity sensor. As will be explained later, the pollution level prediction of the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be performed by the control unit 360.

[0073] Therefore, in this specification, temperature sensor 321 can refer to the heat exchanger temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 108, and humidity sensor 322 can refer to the indoor humidity sensor that measures the indoor humidity. Furthermore, the indoor temperature and indoor humidity can be values ​​or predicted values ​​measured by and received from a device separate from the air conditioner 100.

[0074] In one embodiment, the memory 330 of the air conditioner 100 can store data of reference values ​​related to the operation of each component of the air conditioner 100.

[0075] The memory 330 can store programs for processing and controlling various signals within the control unit 360. The memory 330 can store processed data and data to be processed. As an example, the memory 330 can store applications designed to perform various tasks that can be processed by the control unit 360, and can selectively provide a portion of the stored applications when requested by the control unit 360.

[0076] As an example, memory 330 may include at least one of volatile memory (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.) or non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory, hard disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD), etc.).

[0077] The fan drive unit 340 can drive the fan 341 installed in the air conditioner 100. As an example, the fan 341 may include an outdoor fan 105a and an indoor fan 109a.

[0078] The fan drive unit 340 may include a rectifier (not shown) that rectifies AC power into DC power and outputs it, a DC terminal capacitor (not shown) that stores the pulsating voltage from the rectifier, an inverter (not shown) that has a plurality of switching elements and converts smooth DC power into three-phase AC power of a specified frequency and outputs it, and / or at least one motor that drives the fan 341 according to the three-phase AC power output from the inverter.

[0079] On the other hand, the fan drive unit 340 may have a configuration that drives the outdoor fan 105a and the indoor fan 109a respectively. As an example, the air conditioner 100 may include: a first fan drive unit for driving the outdoor fan 105a; and a second fan drive unit for driving the indoor fan 109a.

[0080] The compressor drive unit 350 can be configured to drive the compressor 102. The compressor drive unit 350 may include a rectifier (not shown) that rectifies AC power into DC power and outputs it, a DC terminal capacitor (not shown) that stores the pulsating voltage from the rectifier, an inverter (not shown) that has a plurality of switching elements and converts smooth DC power into three-phase AC power of a specified frequency and outputs it, and / or a compressor motor 102b that drives the compressor 102 according to the three-phase AC power output from the inverter.

[0081] The control unit 360 can control the overall operation of the air conditioner 100. The control unit 360 can be connected to each component installed in the air conditioner 100. The control unit 360 can control the overall operation by exchanging and / or receiving signals with each component installed in the air conditioner 100.

[0082] As an example, the control unit 360 can predict the pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 based on the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 108 measured by the temperature sensor and the indoor humidity measured by the humidity sensor.

[0083] The control unit 360 can predict the pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 using a predictive model based on big data calculations using machine learning to calculate the pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 and the indoor humidity as factors. The pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be quantified as a pollution index.

[0084] The control unit 360 can calculate the cumulative pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger 108 by accumulating the pollution index calculated using the temperature and humidity of the indoor heat exchanger 108 in the prediction model. The control unit 360 can periodically perform the calculation of the pollution index using the prediction model. For example, the control unit 360 can perform the calculation of the pollution index at one-hour intervals.

[0085] Therefore, when the cumulative contamination index of the indoor heat exchanger 108 is above the specified baseline value, cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be performed. (Refer to...) Figure 4 The cleaning process of the indoor heat exchanger 108 based on the cumulative pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger 108 will be described later.

[0086] As an example, the control unit 360 can control the operation of the fan drive unit 340 and change the speed of the fan 341. As an example, the fan drive unit 340 can change the frequency of the three-phase AC power output to the outdoor fan motor 105b according to the control of the control unit 360, thereby changing the speed of the outdoor fan 105a. As an example, the fan drive unit 340 can change the frequency of the three-phase AC power output to the indoor fan motor 109b according to the control of the control unit 360, thereby changing the speed of the indoor fan 109a.

[0087] As an example, the control unit 360 can change the operating frequency of the compressor 102 by controlling the operation of the compressor drive unit 350. The compressor drive unit 350 can change the frequency of the three-phase AC power supply output to the compressor motor 102b according to the control of the control unit 360, thereby changing the operating frequency of the compressor 102.

[0088] As an example, the control unit 360 may be installed on the outdoor unit 21, but it is not limited thereto. The control unit 360 may also be installed on the indoor unit 31, or on a central controller (not shown) that controls the operation of the outdoor unit 21 and the indoor unit 31.

[0089] The control unit 360 may include at least one processor, and the overall operation of the air conditioner 100 may be controlled using the processor contained therein. As an example, the processor may be a processor such as a CPU (central processing unit).

[0090] The control unit 360 can acquire data related to each component installed in the air conditioner 100. At this time, considering the computational load, the control unit 360 can also acquire data related to each component installed in the air conditioner 100 at predetermined time intervals according to a predetermined cycle. The control unit 360 can perform various calculations based on the acquired data, and can control the overall operation of each component installed in the air conditioner 100 according to the calculation results.

[0091] As an example, data associated with each component of the air conditioner 100 may include the operating frequency of the compressor 102, the suction temperature of the compressor 102, the discharge temperature, the suction pressure, the discharge pressure, the inlet side piping temperature of the indoor unit 31, the outlet side piping temperature of the indoor unit 31, the indoor temperature, the outdoor temperature, the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve (EEV), etc.

[0092] On the other hand, the air conditioner 100 may also include an input device (not shown) capable of receiving user input. As an example, when receiving user input via an input device (e.g., touchpad, button, etc.), the air conditioner 100 can perform an action corresponding to the received user input.

[0093] The air conditioner 100 may include a display unit 370 that outputs messages about the operating status of the air conditioner 100. The display unit 370 may output information about the overall operation of the air conditioner 100. As an example, the display unit 370 may output information about the pollution status of the indoor heat exchanger 108 and information about the cleaning operation of the indoor heat exchanger 108.

[0094] Display unit 370 can output the predicted pollution level of indoor heat exchanger 108 using a predictive model calculated through machine learning based on big data. That is, the pollution level of indoor heat exchanger 108 output by display unit 370 can be the expected pollution level calculated by the predictive model. As an example, display unit 370 can output a value that quantifies the expected pollution level of indoor heat exchanger 108.

[0095] Additionally, the display unit 370 can output the cleaning process of the indoor heat exchanger 108. As an example, the display unit 370 can output the current status of the indoor heat exchanger 108 during the cleaning process.

[0096] The display unit 370 may include a display device such as a monitor, a light-emitting diode (LED), and / or an audio device such as a speaker and a buzzer. The display unit 370 may be formed in the indoor unit 31, or it may be formed in the remote device 41 for controlling the air conditioner 100. That is, the display unit 370 may be a component included in the indoor unit 31, but is not limited thereto, and may be a component of the remote device 41 for controlling the air conditioner 100.

[0097] The following is for reference Figures 4 to 8 The cleaning operation method of the indoor heat exchanger 108 via the control unit 360 is explained.

[0098] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of an air conditioner's operation method. Figure 5This is a table used to accumulate the pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger of an air conditioner in one embodiment. Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the cleaning process of the indoor heat exchanger in an air conditioner according to one embodiment. Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the pollution level of an indoor heat exchanger in an air conditioner according to an embodiment. Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating an example of an air conditioner's display unit showing the status of a heat exchanger.

[0099] Reference Figure 4 An embodiment of the air conditioner 100's operation method may include a step S10 of initializing the cumulative pollution index, a step S20 of the cumulative pollution index, a step S30 of comparing the cumulative pollution index with a baseline pollution index, a step S31 of notifying the heat exchanger to clean, a step S40 of determining whether the conditions for cleaning are met, a step S50 of performing indoor heat exchanger cleaning, and a step S60 of determining whether the indoor heat exchanger cleaning is complete. The air conditioner 100's operation method can be executed by a control unit 360.

[0100] In one embodiment of the air conditioner 100 operation method, step S10, which initializes the cumulative pollution index, can be performed first. The air conditioner 100 operation method of one embodiment involves a process of predicting the pollution level of an indoor heat exchanger 108 and cleaning it by periodically accumulating a pollution index calculated using a prediction model based on big data machine learning. Therefore, step S10, which initializes the cumulative pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger 108, can be performed preferentially.

[0101] In step S10, which initializes the cumulative pollution index, the control unit 360 can initialize and store the cumulative pollution index. As an example, the cumulative pollution index can be stored as 0. Alternatively, the control unit 360 can initialize the cumulative pollution index to a non-zero value based on the air conditioner's operating time or the number of cleaning cycles, and then store that value.

[0102] On the other hand, in this specification, the pollution index can refer to the value of the predicted pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108, which is calculated using a prediction model based on big data machine learning.

[0103] After initializing the cumulative pollution index in step S10, step S20 for accumulating the pollution index can be executed. Step S20 for accumulating the pollution index can be executed by the control unit 360. The control unit 360 can use a predictive model calculated by machine learning based on big data to accumulate the predicted and numerical pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger 108. The predictive model can use the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 108 measured by the temperature sensor 321 and the indoor humidity measured by the humidity sensor 322 as factors to calculate the pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger 108.

[0104] The control unit 360 can use the prediction model to calculate the pollution index, and can accumulate and store the calculated pollution index. The control unit 360 can perform the pollution index calculation periodically. For example, the control unit 360 can perform the pollution index calculation at one-hour intervals.

[0105] On the other hand, the predictive model calculated through machine learning based on big data can be stored in memory 330. As mentioned above, the predictive model can be stored in memory 330 by the manufacturer of the air conditioner 100 of the indoor heat exchanger 108 during the manufacturing process.

[0106] The prediction model can obtain indoor heat exchanger 108 pollution level data by using machine learning based on big data, taking the temperature of indoor heat exchanger 108 and the relative humidity of the room equipped with indoor unit 31 as factors.

[0107] On the other hand, the prediction model can be installed and shipped during the manufacturing process of the air conditioner 100, but is not limited to this; it can also receive data and be updated from the management server of the air conditioner 100. This improves the reliability of the prediction model installed in the air conditioner 100.

[0108] Additionally, a simplified pollution index table for the prediction model can be stored in memory 330 by the manufacturer during the manufacturing process. The pollution index table can receive or update data via a management server.

[0109] Therefore, the predictive model or pollution index table can be loaded into the memory 330 by the manufacturer before user use and can be continuously updated via a management server. (See reference...) Figure 5 , Figure 5 The pollution index table of the indoor heat exchanger 108 is shown by using the relative humidity of the room where the indoor unit 31 is installed as the horizontal axis and the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 108 as the vertical axis. That is, Figure 5 The table simplifies the above prediction model, enabling it to output a pollution index when the relative humidity of the room equipped with indoor unit 31 and the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 108 are specified. As an example, Figure 5The data in the table can be stored in the memory 330 of the air conditioner 100.

[0110] exist Figure 5 Although only some data corresponding to indoor relative humidity of 85%, 86%, and 87% and indoor heat exchanger 108 temperature of 22°C, 23°C, and 24°C are shown, this is merely exemplary. The prediction model in the memory 330 of the air conditioner 100 may include all data corresponding to indoor relative humidity in the range of approximately 68% to 100% and indoor heat exchanger 108 temperature in the range of approximately 0°C to 38°C. That is, the prediction model may include all data corresponding to indoor relative humidity and indoor heat exchanger 108 temperature that may occur in an environment where the air conditioner 100 is configured.

[0111] Therefore, the control unit 360 can input the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 108 measured by the temperature sensor 321 and the indoor relative humidity measured by the humidity sensor 322 into the prediction model mounted in the memory 330, and periodically calculate the pollution index, and accumulate and store it.

[0112] In addition, the control unit 360 can periodically calculate the pollution index corresponding to the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 108 measured by the temperature sensor 321 and the relative humidity of the room measured by the humidity sensor 322 based on the pollution index table mounted in the memory 330, and can accumulate and store them.

[0113] Reference Figure 7 In one embodiment, the air conditioner 100 can define the pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 according to the range of the pollution index. For example, the pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be defined as a first stage (very good), a second stage (good), a third stage (average), a fourth stage (poor), and a fifth stage (very poor), etc.

[0114] As an example, such as Figure 7As shown, when the cumulative pollution index is above the first threshold v1 and below the second threshold v2, the pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be defined as a first-stage (very good) state. The first threshold v1 can be set to 0. When the cumulative pollution index is above the second threshold v2 and below the third threshold v3, the pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be defined as a second-stage (good) state. When the cumulative pollution index is above the third threshold v3 and below the fourth threshold v4, the pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be defined as a third-stage (normal) state. When the cumulative pollution index is above the fourth threshold v4 and below the fifth threshold v5, the pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be defined as a fourth-stage (poor) state. When the cumulative pollution index is above the fifth threshold v5, the pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be defined as a fifth-stage (very poor) state.

[0115] On the other hand, the first threshold v1 to the fifth threshold v5 can be set in various ways based on the pollution index data values ​​carried by the prediction model.

[0116] Reference Figure 8 In one embodiment, the air conditioner 100 can output the pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 via a display unit 370. As described above, the display unit 370 can be formed in the indoor unit 31 and / or in the remote device 41 for controlling the air conditioner 100. Therefore, the user can check the pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 in real time via the display unit 370 formed in the indoor unit 31 and / or the remote device 41.

[0117] Figure 8 (a) to Figure 8 (e) shows the display unit 370 displaying images of the indoor heat exchanger 108 at different pollution levels: Level 1 (very good), Level 2 (good), Level 3 (normal), Level 4 (poor), and Level 5 (very poor). In particular, when the indoor heat exchanger 108 is at Level 5 (very poor), the display unit 370 can simultaneously display a phrase suggesting cleaning services for the indoor heat exchanger 108.

[0118] After step S20, which compares the cumulative pollution index with the baseline pollution index, step S30 can be performed. Step S30 can be performed in real-time during step S20 of the cumulative pollution index process. Step S30 can be performed by the control unit 360.

[0119] The cumulative pollution index can refer to the pollution index that is accumulated in real time during the cumulative pollution index step S20.

[0120] The baseline contamination index may refer to a threshold value for the contamination index used to perform cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger 108. As an example, the baseline contamination index may be included within a range of contamination indices representing a third-stage (normal) state. For example, according to... Figure 5 and Figure 7 The pollution index benchmark shown in the figure can be a value included in the third stage (normal). That is, the benchmark pollution index can have a value above the third threshold v3 and below the fourth threshold v4.

[0121] In step S30, which compares the cumulative pollution index with the benchmark pollution index, if the cumulative pollution index is less than the benchmark pollution index, the process can return to step S20, which compares the cumulative pollution index. On the other hand, since step S30, which compares the cumulative pollution index with the benchmark pollution index, can be performed within step S20, it can be understood that step S20, which compares the cumulative pollution index, is continuously executed.

[0122] On the other hand, in step S30, which compares the cumulative pollution index with the baseline pollution index, if the cumulative pollution index is higher than the baseline pollution index, the heat exchanger cleaning notification step S31 can be executed.

[0123] In the heat exchanger cleaning notification step S31, the control unit 360 can inform the user that the indoor heat exchanger 108 needs to be cleaned. As an example, the control unit 360 can inform the user that the indoor heat exchanger 108 needs to be cleaned via the display unit 370. Alternatively, the control unit 360 can inform the user that the indoor heat exchanger 108 needs to be cleaned via the remote device 41.

[0124] On the other hand, the heat exchanger cleaning notification step S31 can be executed during the operation of the air conditioner 100, but it is not limited to this. It can also be executed when the operation of the air conditioner 100 ends and / or when the operation begins.

[0125] After the heat exchanger cleaning notification step S31, step S40 can be executed to determine whether the conditions for cleaning are met. Step S40 to determine whether the conditions for cleaning are met can be executed by the control unit 360.

[0126] To determine whether the environment is suitable for cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 108, step S40 can be performed to determine whether the conditions for cleaning are met. The conditions for cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be determined based on the outdoor temperature where the outdoor unit 21 is installed and the indoor temperature where the indoor unit 31 is installed.

[0127] As an example, the conditions under which the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be cleaned may be that the outdoor temperature is in the range of 21°C or higher and 37°C or lower, and the indoor temperature is in the range of 21°C or higher and 32°C or lower.

[0128] In step S40, which determines whether the conditions for cleaning are met, if the conditions for cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 108 are not met, the process can return to step S20, which determines the cumulative pollution index. However, since step S40, which determines whether the conditions for cleaning are met, can be performed during step S20, which determines the cumulative pollution index, it can be understood that step S20 continues to be executed.

[0129] On the other hand, in step S40, which determines whether the conditions for cleaning are met, if the conditions for cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 108 are met, step S50, which involves cleaning the indoor heat exchanger, can be performed.

[0130] The following is for reference Figure 6 The steps S50 for cleaning the indoor heat exchanger are described in detail.

[0131] Reference Figure 6 The cleaning step S50 of the indoor heat exchanger 108 may include: step S51 of confirming whether the compressor is driven; step S52 of starting the compressor; step S53 of determining whether to perform a condensation action; step S54 of performing a condensation action; step S55 of performing an icing action; step S56 of determining whether the total cleaning time is greater than or equal to the action limit time; step S57 of determining whether the moisture content of the indoor air is greater than or equal to the reference level; and steps S58 and S59 of performing a complete drying action or a partial drying action.

[0132] First, step S51, which determines whether the compressor is running, can be executed. In an embodiment of the air conditioner 100, if the compressor 102 can sufficiently compress the incoming refrigerant into a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant according to the intended purpose, it can be determined that the compressor 102 is running and the refrigerant circulation is stable. For example, the air conditioner 100 can determine whether the compressor 102 is running based on the compressor 102's operating frequency, suction temperature, discharge temperature, suction pressure, and discharge pressure.

[0133] In step S51, which confirms whether the compressor is driven, if it is determined that the compressor 102 is driven, step S53, which determines whether to perform a condensation operation, can be executed. Step S53, which determines whether to perform a condensation operation, will be explained later.

[0134] On the other hand, in step S51, which confirms whether the compressor is driven, if it is determined that the compressor 102 is not driven, step S52, which starts the compressor, can be executed. Step S52, which starts the compressor, can be the step where the control unit 360 controls the compressor drive unit 350 and starts the compressor 102. In step S52, the air conditioner 100 can control the operation of each component according to preset conditions, so that the operating frequency of the compressor 102 reaches a predetermined frequency. As an example, when the compressor 102 is started, the air conditioner 100 can open the electronic expansion valve (EEV) according to a preset opening degree. At this time, the air conditioner 100 can control the operation of each component according to the cooling mode for cooling the room.

[0135] On the other hand, in step S52 of starting the compressor, if the compressor 102 has already started, step S53, which determines whether to perform a condensation operation, can be executed. The condensation operation can refer to the action of the air conditioner 100 causing moisture contained in the indoor air to form water droplets on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 108. As an example, the air conditioner 100 can be preset to perform a condensation operation when performing an action to remove foreign objects. Furthermore, the air conditioner 100 can output a message about performing a condensation operation via an output device, and can determine whether to perform a condensation operation based on user input received via an input device. In this case, if there is a historical record of previously received user input regarding performing a condensation operation, the air conditioner 100 can also determine whether to perform a condensation operation based on previously received user input without outputting a message about performing a condensation operation via an output device.

[0136] On the other hand, in step S53, which determines whether to perform a condensation action, if it is determined that the condensation action will not be performed, step S55, which performs an icing action, can be performed. Here, the icing action can refer to the action of causing ice to form on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 108 of the air conditioner 100.

[0137] In step S53, which determines whether to perform a condensation action, if it is determined that a condensation action should be performed, step S54, which involves performing the condensation action, can be executed. In step S54, if the condensation action has been completed, step S55, which involves performing an freezing action, can be executed.

[0138] In step S55, which involves performing the icing action, if the icing action has been completed, step S56 can be performed to determine whether the total cleaning time exceeds the action limit time. The total cleaning time can refer to the total time elapsed from the time point when the condensation action first begins.

[0139] In step S56, which determines whether the total cleaning time exceeds the operation limit time, if the total cleaning time exceeds the operation limit time, step S58, which performs the complete drying operation, can be executed. Step S58, which performs the complete drying operation, will be explained later.

[0140] In step S56, which determines whether the total cleaning time exceeds the operation limit time, if the total cleaning time is less than the operation limit time, step S57, which determines whether the moisture content of the indoor air is above a predetermined threshold, can be executed. As an example, the air conditioner 100 can receive data on the dry-bulb temperature of the indoor air from the indoor temperature sensor and data on the relative humidity from the indoor humidity sensor. At this time, the air conditioner 100 can use a calculation formula based on an air humidity chart to calculate at least one of the wet-bulb temperature and absolute humidity of the indoor air, and can determine whether the moisture content contained in the indoor air is above a predetermined threshold based on the calculation results. Even if the relative humidity of the indoor air is high, the indoor air may not contain sufficient moisture under conditions such as low indoor temperature. In this case, if the condensation and icing operations are simply terminated because the relative humidity of the indoor air is high, the amount of moisture condensed in the indoor heat exchanger 108 may be insufficient, depending on the moisture content contained in the indoor air.

[0141] Furthermore, even if the relative humidity of the indoor air is low, the indoor air can contain sufficient moisture if the indoor temperature is high. In this case, although sufficient moisture for removing foreign objects will condense and freeze in the indoor heat exchanger 108, repeating the condensation and freezing process under the pretext of low relative humidity will result in unnecessary power consumption.

[0142] Therefore, in order to reduce unnecessary power consumption while ensuring that the moisture used to remove foreign objects is fully condensed and frozen in the indoor heat exchanger 108, the air conditioner 100 can determine whether to repeat the condensation and freezing actions based on the absolute value of the moisture content contained in the indoor air rather than the relative humidity.

[0143] In step S57, which determines whether the indoor air moisture content is above a certain threshold, if the indoor air moisture content is above a certain threshold, step S58, which involves performing a complete drying operation, can be executed. In step S58, the air conditioner 100 can remove all moisture that has condensed and frozen in the indoor heat exchanger 108. As an example, in step S58, the air conditioner 100 can stop driving the compressor 102 and control the indoor fan 109a to rotate at a first speed during the first drying time. At this time, the moisture that has condensed and frozen in the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be thawed and completely removed.

[0144] In step S57, which determines whether the moisture content of the indoor air is above the baseline, if it is determined that the moisture content of the indoor air is below the baseline, step S59, which involves performing a partial drying operation, can be executed.

[0145] In step S59, which performs the partial drying action, the air conditioner 100 can remove some of the water that has condensed and frozen in the indoor heat exchanger 108 from the indoor heat exchanger 108. As an example, in step S59, the air conditioner 100 can stop driving the compressor 102 and control the indoor fan 109a to rotate at a second speed during the second drying time. At this time, only a portion of the water that has condensed and frozen in the indoor heat exchanger 108 is removed after defreezing. On the other hand, the second drying time can be shorter than the first drying time. The second speed in step S59, which performs the partial drying action, can be slower than the first speed in step S58, which performs the complete drying action. On the other hand, the second speed in step S59, which performs the partial drying action, can be faster than the rotational speed of the indoor fan 109a during the freezing and / or condensation actions.

[0146] When step S50 of cleaning the indoor heat exchanger is completed, step S60 of determining whether the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger is completed can be executed.

[0147] On the other hand, the cleaning step S50 of the indoor heat exchanger can be terminated for various reasons. For example, the cleaning step S50 can be terminated when the indoor heat exchanger 108 has completed cleaning. Alternatively, the cleaning step S50 can be terminated if the indoor heat exchanger 108 has not completed cleaning. For example, the cleaning step S50 can be terminated by a user's stop command or an operational error of the air conditioner 100.

[0148] In step S60, which determines whether the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger is complete, if step S50, which involves cleaning the indoor heat exchanger, ends because the indoor heat exchanger 108 has completed cleaning, step S10, which involves initializing the pollution index, can be executed again.

[0149] Conversely, in step S60, which determines whether the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger is complete, if step S50, which involves cleaning the indoor heat exchanger, ends before the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned, the process can return to step S30, which compares the cumulative pollution index with the baseline pollution index. However, this is not a limitation; in step S60, which determines whether the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger is complete, if step S50, which involves cleaning the indoor heat exchanger, ends before the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned, the process can also return to step S20, which compares the cumulative pollution index.

[0150] The following is for reference Figures 9 to 11 The output screen of the display unit 370 related to the operation method of the air conditioner 100 in one embodiment will be described.

[0151] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating an example of an air conditioner's display unit showing the status of a heat exchanger cleaning operation.

[0152] Reference Figure 9 In one embodiment, the operation method of the air conditioner 100 can be executed according to user settings. That is, under user settings, the predicted pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be calculated based on the temperature and relative humidity of the indoor heat exchanger 108, and the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be cleaned.

[0153] Figure 9 (a) may be the screen output by the display unit 370 when the user sets the operating method of the air conditioner 100 according to an embodiment. See reference Figure 4 , Figure 9 (b) can be the screen output by the display unit 370 in the above-described heat exchanger cleaning notification step S31. (See reference...) Figure 4 , Figure 9 (c) Figure 9 (d) and (e) may be the screen output by the display unit 370 during step S50 of cleaning the indoor heat exchanger described above. As an example, Figure 9 (c) is the output when the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger 108 begins. Figure 9 (d) is the output during the cleaning process of the indoor heat exchanger 108. Figure 9 (e) is the output when the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger 108 is completed.

[0154] Figure 10 and Figure 11 This is an example diagram showing a screen of a remote device that can control the operation of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

[0155] Figure 10(a) serves as the control screen for the air conditioner 100, which may include a cleaning management tab 41a for hygienic management of the air conditioner 100. If the cleaning management tab 41a is selected, it will be displayed on the remote device 41. Figure 10 (b) is the cleaning management screen.

[0156] Figure 10 The cleaning management screen in (b) may include an AI heat exchanger cleaning tab 41b, which can control the opening and closing of an air conditioner 100 operating method for cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 108 according to an embodiment. Users can select whether to use the operating method of the air conditioner 100 according to an embodiment by opening and closing the AI ​​heat exchanger cleaning tab 41b.

[0157] Figure 11 As a screen for monitoring the status of the indoor heat exchanger 108, the monitoring screen may include: an AI heat exchanger cleaning status tab 41c, which can confirm whether the operating method of the air conditioner 100 of one embodiment is used; a heat exchanger cleaning history confirmation tab 41d, which can confirm the cleaning history of the indoor heat exchanger 108; and a heat exchanger status tab 41e, which can confirm the contamination level of the indoor heat exchanger 108.

[0158] The AI ​​heat exchanger cleaning status tab 41c can display the on / off status of the air conditioner 100 operating method in one embodiment of automatically cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 108. As an example, if the AI ​​heat exchanger cleaning status tab 41c is selected, it will display... Figure 10 (b) is the cleaning management screen.

[0159] The heat exchanger cleaning history confirmation tab 41d can output the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 performed a cleaning action. As an example, in reference... Figure 4 In step S60, which determines whether the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger is completed, if step S50, which determines that the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger is completed, ends when the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger 108 is completed, the number of times the cleaning action is executed on the heat exchanger cleaning history confirmation tab 41d can be counted.

[0160] The heat exchanger status tab 41e can output the pollution level calculated from the pollution index by the indoor heat exchanger 108. As an example, refer to... Figure 8 The pollution level information of the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be displayed synchronously in the heat exchanger status tab 41e.

[0161] On the other hand, in addition to the embodiments described above, the present invention can be implemented in a variety of other embodiments. Hereinafter, other embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In other embodiments, configurations identical to those in the above embodiments may omit description and illustrations, or may be described using the same reference numerals. That is, only structures that differ from the above embodiments will be described below; other configurations not described may be the same as those in the above embodiments.

[0162] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating an air conditioner operation method according to another embodiment.

[0163] Reference Figure 12 The operation method of the air conditioner 100 in this embodiment is the same as Figure 4 When comparing with the embodiments, the difference is that the number of times n of cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 108 is counted and reflected when resetting the initial value of the pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger 108.

[0164] The following is in relation to Figure 4 This embodiment will be described mainly based on the differences from the previous embodiment.

[0165] The operation method of the air conditioner 100 in this embodiment may further include: when the air conditioner 100 is first started, before the step S10 of initializing the pollution index, a step S100 is performed to initialize the number of cleaning times n of the indoor heat exchanger 108; in the step S60 of determining whether the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger is completed, a step S101 is performed to count the number of cleaning times n of the indoor heat exchanger 108 when the step S50 of performing the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger ends because the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger 108 is completed; and a step S102 is performed after the step S101 of counting the number of cleaning times n of the indoor heat exchanger 108 to reset the initial value of the pollution index.

[0166] When the air conditioner 100 is first started, step S100, which initializes the number of cleaning cycles n of the indoor heat exchanger 108, can be performed before step S10, which initializes the pollution index. However, in this embodiment, the order of step S10, which initializes the pollution index, and step S100, which initializes the number of cleaning cycles n of the indoor heat exchanger, can be changed.

[0167] On the other hand, in step S60, which determines whether the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger is complete, if step S50, which involves cleaning the indoor heat exchanger, ends because the indoor heat exchanger 108 has been cleaned, step S101, which counts the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 has been cleaned, can be executed. Step S101, which counts the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 has been cleaned, can only be executed if step S50, which involves cleaning the indoor heat exchanger, ends because the indoor heat exchanger 108 has been cleaned. That is, if step S50, which involves cleaning the indoor heat exchanger, ends before the indoor heat exchanger 108 has been cleaned, step S30, which compares the cumulative pollution index with the baseline pollution index, can be executed again.

[0168] In order to reflect the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned when resetting the pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger 108, step S101 of counting the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is performed.

[0169] After step S101, which counts the number of cleaning cycles n of the indoor heat exchanger 108, step S102, which resets the initial value of the pollution index, can be performed. Step S102, which resets the initial value of the pollution index, is a step that sets the initial value of the pollution index before step S20, which is used to accumulate the pollution index.

[0170] In step S50 of cleaning the indoor heat exchanger, it may not be possible to completely remove foreign matter adsorbed on the indoor heat exchanger 108. Therefore, in order to set the initial value of the pollution index to a predetermined value, step S102 of resetting the initial value of the pollution index can be performed.

[0171] The initial value of the pollution index set in step S102, which resets the initial value of the pollution index, can depend on the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned, n. As an example, the initial value of the pollution index set in step S102, which resets the initial value of the pollution index, can increase as the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned, n.

[0172] The correlation between the initial value of the pollution index set in step S102 of resetting the initial value of the pollution index and the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned, can be stored in memory 330. As an example, the correlation between the initial value of the pollution index set in step S102 of resetting the initial value of the pollution index and the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned, can be calculated using a predictive model calculated by machine learning based on big data.

[0173] According to this embodiment, as the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned (n) increases, the time required for the cumulative contamination index to reach the state of the baseline contamination index in step S30, which compares the cumulative contamination index and the baseline contamination index, gradually decreases. That is, the cycle of performing step S50, which involves cleaning the indoor heat exchanger, gradually shortens. At this time, as the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned (n) increases, the baseline contamination index can be maintained. Therefore, the contamination level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be effectively managed.

[0174] Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation method of an air conditioner according to yet another embodiment.

[0175] Reference Figure 13 The operation method of the air conditioner 100 in this embodiment is the same as Figure 4 When comparing with the embodiments, the difference is that the number of times n of cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 108 is counted and reflected when resetting the baseline pollution index.

[0176] The following is in relation to Figure 12 The differences between this embodiment and the previous one are mainly described in this embodiment.

[0177] The operation method of the air conditioner 100 in this embodiment may further include a step S102, which is performed after the step S101 of counting the number of cleaning times n of the indoor heat exchanger 108, to reset the initial value of the pollution index.

[0178] In order to reflect the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned when resetting the pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger 108, step S101 of counting the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is performed.

[0179] After step S101, which counts the number of cleaning cycles n of the indoor heat exchanger 108, step S103, which resets the baseline pollution index, can be performed. Step S103, which resets the baseline pollution index used as a benchmark in step S30, which compares the cumulative pollution index and the baseline pollution index, is a step of resetting the baseline pollution index.

[0180] In step S50 of cleaning the indoor heat exchanger, it may not be possible to completely remove foreign matter adsorbed on the indoor heat exchanger 108. Therefore, in order to correct the baseline contamination index as the number of cleaning cycles n of the indoor heat exchanger 108 increases, step S103 of resetting the baseline contamination index can be performed.

[0181] The baseline pollution index set in step S103 of resetting the baseline pollution index can depend on the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned, n. As an example, the baseline pollution index reset in step S103 can decrease as the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned, n.

[0182] The correlation between the baseline pollution index set in step S103 of resetting the baseline pollution index and the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned, can be stored in memory 330. As an example, the correlation between the baseline pollution index reset in step S103 of resetting the baseline pollution index and the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned, can be calculated using a predictive model calculated by machine learning based on big data.

[0183] After step S103 of resetting the baseline pollution index, you can return to step S10 of initializing the pollution index.

[0184] According to this embodiment, as the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned (n) increases, the time required for the cumulative contamination index to reach the state of the baseline contamination index in step S30, which compares the cumulative contamination index and the baseline contamination index, gradually decreases. That is, the cycle of performing step S50, which involves cleaning the indoor heat exchanger, gradually shortens. At this time, as the number of times the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned (n) increases, the baseline contamination index can be reduced. Therefore, the contamination level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be effectively managed.

[0185] Figure 14 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation method of an air conditioner according to yet another embodiment.

[0186] Reference Figure 14 The operation method of the air conditioner 100 in this embodiment is the same as Figure 4 When compared with the embodiments, the difference is that the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger 108 and the notification of cleaning service recommendations are performed by comparing it with a benchmark pollution index multiple times.

[0187] The following is in relation to Figure 4 The differences between this embodiment and the previous one are mainly described in this embodiment.

[0188] The operation method of the air conditioner 100 in this embodiment may further include: after the step S20 of the cumulative pollution index, performing a step S30A of comparing the cumulative pollution index and the first benchmark pollution index; in the step S40 of determining whether the cleaning conditions are met, if it is determined that the conditions for cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 108 are not met, performing a step S70 of comparing the cumulative pollution index and the second benchmark pollution index; and in the step S70 of comparing the cumulative pollution index and the second benchmark pollution index, if the cumulative pollution index is higher than the second benchmark pollution index, performing a cleaning service recommendation notification step S71.

[0189] After the cumulative pollution index step S20, a step S30A comparing the cumulative pollution index and the first baseline pollution index can be performed. The step S30A comparing the cumulative pollution index and the first baseline pollution index can be performed in real time during the cumulative pollution index step S20. The step S30A comparing the cumulative pollution index and the first baseline pollution index can be performed by the control unit 360. As an example, in this embodiment, reference is made to... Figure 4 The first benchmark pollution index can be the same as the benchmark pollution index in step S30 of comparing the cumulative pollution index and the benchmark pollution index in the above embodiments.

[0190] That is, refer to Figure 4 The step S30A of comparing the cumulative pollution index and the first benchmark pollution index in this embodiment is actually the same as the step S30 of comparing the cumulative pollution index and the benchmark pollution index in the above embodiment.

[0191] In step S40 of this embodiment, if the condition for cleaning is not met, step S70, which compares the cumulative pollution index and the second benchmark pollution index, can be performed.

[0192] The second baseline contamination index may refer to a threshold for the contamination index used to implement the cleaning service recommendation notification for the indoor heat exchanger 108. The second baseline contamination index may be greater than the first baseline contamination index. As an example, refer to... Figure 7 The second benchmark pollution index can be the minimum value of the pollution index representing the fifth stage (very poor) state described above. For example, according to... Figure 5 and Figure 7 The pollution index benchmark shown can be a fifth threshold v5. However, it is not limited to this; the second benchmark pollution index can be changed according to user or manufacturer settings.

[0193] In step S70, which compares the cumulative pollution index with the second benchmark pollution index, if the cumulative pollution index is less than the second benchmark pollution index, step S20 of the cumulative pollution index can be performed.

[0194] On the other hand, in step S70, which compares the cumulative pollution index and the second benchmark pollution index, if the cumulative pollution index is higher than the second benchmark pollution index, a cleaning service recommendation notification step S71 can be performed.

[0195] In the cleaning service recommendation notification step S71 of this embodiment, the cleaning service may refer to the staff directly cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 108. (Refer to...) Figure 6 Since the cleaning process of the indoor heat exchanger 108 described above is performed by the indoor unit 31 itself through condensation, freezing, and drying actions, the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger 108 has limitations. Therefore, when the cumulative pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger 108 becomes above a specified level (second benchmark pollution index), the cleaning service recommendation notification (S71) can be executed. The user can enable or disable the cleaning service recommendation notification step S71.

[0196] After the cleaning service recommendation notification step S71, the cumulative contamination index step S20 can be performed.

[0197] In this embodiment, in step S60 of determining whether the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger is completed, if step S50 of cleaning the indoor heat exchanger ends due to the completion of cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger 108, step S102 of resetting the initial value of the pollution index can be executed.

[0198] Step S102, which resets the initial value of the pollution index, is a step that resets the initial value of the pollution index set before step S20, which accumulates the pollution index.

[0199] In step S50 of cleaning the indoor heat exchanger, it may not be possible to completely remove foreign matter adsorbed on the indoor heat exchanger 108. Therefore, in order to set the initial value of the pollution index to a predetermined value, step S102 of resetting the initial value of the pollution index can be performed.

[0200] As an example, in step S102 of resetting the initial value of the pollution index, the initial value of the pollution index can be initialized to 0 and then reset. However, it is not limited to this. In step S102 of resetting the initial value of the pollution index in this embodiment, refer to... Figure 12 As shown in the above embodiments, the initial value of the pollution index can be set to depend on the value of the number of times n of the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned.

[0201] Additionally, as another embodiment, refer to Figure 13 As described above, step S103, which resets the baseline pollution index, can be performed instead of step S102, which resets the initial value of the pollution index. Additionally, refer to... Figure 13 As shown in the above embodiments, the initial value of the benchmark pollution index can be set to depend on the value of the number of times n of the indoor heat exchanger 108 is cleaned.

[0202] On the other hand, after step S102 of resetting the initial value of the pollution index, one can return to step S20 of accumulating the pollution index.

[0203] According to this embodiment, the difference lies in that the determination of whether to clean the indoor heat exchanger 108 and whether to issue and execute a cleaning service recommendation notification is made by comparing the cumulative pollution index with a plurality of benchmark values, such as a first benchmark pollution index and a second benchmark pollution index. According to this embodiment, excessive increases in pollution levels due to continuous use of the air conditioner 100 can be prevented through a cleaning service recommendation notification. Therefore, the pollution level of the indoor heat exchanger 108 of the air conditioner 100 can be effectively managed.

[0204] Figure 15 This is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an air conditioner comprising a plurality of indoor units, according to another embodiment.

[0205] Air conditioner 100 may include a plurality of indoor units 31 connected to outdoor unit 21. As an example, air conditioner 100 may include a freestanding indoor unit 31a, a wall-mounted indoor unit 31b, and / or a ceiling-mounted indoor unit 31c.

[0206] A plurality of remote devices 41 can be connected to a plurality of indoor units 31 respectively, and can transmit user control commands to the indoor units 31, and can receive and display the status information of the indoor units 31. At this time, each of the plurality of remote devices 41 can communicate via wired or wireless means depending on its connection method with the corresponding indoor unit 31. As an example, the plurality of remote devices 41 may include: a first remote device 411 connected to a floor-standing indoor unit 31a; a second remote device 412 connected to a wall-mounted indoor unit 31b; and a third remote device 413 connected to a ceiling-mounted indoor unit 31c.

[0207] The air conditioner 100 can perform an action (e.g., condensation action, icing action) on at least one of the plurality of indoor units 31 to remove foreign objects. At this time, the power supply to the remaining indoor units 31, except for the one performing the action to remove foreign objects, can be turned off.

[0208] As an example, when the air conditioner 100 performs an action to remove foreign objects from the upright indoor unit 31a, the power to the wall-mounted indoor unit 31b and the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 31c can be turned off. At this time, the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit 21 can be transferred only to the upright indoor unit 31a, and not to the wall-mounted indoor unit 31b and the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 31c.

[0209] On the other hand, the air conditioner 100 of this embodiment can also perform the action of removing foreign objects on all of the plurality of indoor units 31. At this time, the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit 21 can be transferred to all of the plurality of indoor units 31, and the action of removing foreign objects (e.g., condensation action, icing action) can be performed on all of the plurality of indoor units 31 simultaneously.

[0210] As described above, according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, moisture contained in indoor air can be condensed, frozen and dried in stages on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 108, thereby effectively removing foreign matter adsorbed on the indoor heat exchanger 108.

[0211] In addition, according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the operating frequency of the compressor 102 can be adjusted to correspond to the dew point temperature of the indoor air, thereby increasing the amount of moisture condensed in the indoor heat exchanger 108.

[0212] In addition, according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the operating frequency of the compressor 102 can be adjusted based on the compression ratio of the compressor 102, thereby preventing damage to the compressor 102 that may occur during the freezing of moisture condensed in the indoor heat exchanger 108.

[0213] In addition, according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, water can be uniformly frozen throughout the entire area of ​​the indoor heat exchanger 108, thereby enabling the uniform removal of foreign matter from the entire area of ​​the indoor heat exchanger 108.

[0214] In addition, according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the action of removing foreign matter adsorbed on the indoor heat exchanger 108 can be repeated according to the moisture content contained in the indoor air, thereby further effectively removing foreign matter adsorbed on the indoor heat exchanger 108.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that, include: The compressor compresses and releases refrigerant; An indoor heat exchanger exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the indoor air; as well as The control unit controls the cleaning process of the indoor heat exchanger. The control unit performs: The step of accumulating the pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger by taking indoor humidity and indoor heat exchanger temperature as factors. as well as The steps for comparing the cumulative pollution index with the first baseline pollution index; When the cumulative pollution index is above the first benchmark pollution index, the control unit executes the heat exchanger cleaning process.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein, If the cumulative pollution index is less than the first benchmark pollution index, the control unit returns to the step of accumulating the pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein, If the cumulative contamination index is higher than the first benchmark contamination index, the control unit performs a step of determining whether the conditions for performing the heat exchanger cleaning process are met before the heat exchanger cleaning process begins. If the conditions for performing the heat exchanger cleaning process are met, the control unit executes the heat exchanger cleaning process. If the conditions for performing the heat exchanger cleaning process are not met, the control unit returns to the step of accumulating the pollution index of the indoor heat exchanger.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein, Before determining whether the conditions for performing the heat exchanger cleaning process are met, the control unit performs a cleaning notification step to inform the user that the heat exchanger cleaning process is required.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein, Also includes: The display unit outputs the status of the indoor heat exchanger. In the cleaning notification step, the display shows that the heat exchanger cleaning process needs to be performed, or the user's remote device displays that the heat exchanger cleaning process needs to be performed.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step of determining whether the conditions for performing the heat exchanger cleaning process are met is to determine whether the indoor temperature of the space where the indoor heat exchanger is configured and the outdoor temperature outside the space are within the reference temperature range.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein, When the heat exchanger cleaning process ends, the control unit performs a step to determine whether the heat exchanger cleaning process is complete. Upon completion and termination of the heat exchanger cleaning process, the control unit performs the step of initializing the cumulative contamination index. If the heat exchanger cleaning process is not completed and ends, the control unit returns to the step of comparing the cumulative contamination index with the first benchmark contamination index.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the heat exchanger cleaning process ends, the control unit performs a step to determine whether the heat exchanger cleaning process is complete. Upon completion and termination of the heat exchanger cleaning process, the control unit executes: The step of counting the number of times the heat exchanger cleaning process is repeated; as well as The steps to reset the cumulative pollution index; In the step of resetting the cumulative contamination index, the reset value of the cumulative contamination index increases as the number of times the heat exchanger cleaning process is repeated increases.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the heat exchanger cleaning process ends, the control unit performs a step to determine whether the heat exchanger cleaning process is complete. Upon completion and termination of the heat exchanger cleaning process, the control unit executes: The step of counting the number of times the heat exchanger cleaning process is repeated; as well as The steps to reset the first benchmark pollution index; In the step of resetting the first baseline contamination index, the reset value of the first baseline contamination index decreases as the number of repetitions of the heat exchanger cleaning process increases.

10. The air conditioner according to claim 9, wherein, If the heat exchanger cleaning process is not completed and ends, the control unit returns to the step of comparing the cumulative contamination index with the first benchmark contamination index.

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