Air conditioner

Abstract

To provide an air conditioner that enables remote control by using a remote controller with a learning function while suppressing an increase in a product cost.SOLUTION: An air conditioner includes: a transmission section 14 that transmits an infrared ray signal for instructing an operation of a body 1 to the outside of the body 1; a reception section 15 that receives the infrared ray signal transmitted from remote control means; and a control section 40. The control section 40 has: an infrared ray signal registration mode; and a remote control mode and a remote control prohibition mode either of which is selectively set. In the case where the remote control prohibition mode is set and at the same time the infrared ray signal registration mode is executed, after the infrared ray signal registration mode is finished, the remote control mode is set. Due to this structure, without providing an auxiliary remote controller, the infrared ray signal is transmitted from the body 1, so as to enable the remote control means to store the infrared ray signal. Thus while an increase in a product cost is suppressed, remote control by using the remote control means with a learning function is enabled.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a remotely controlled air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is an air conditioner that includes an attached remote control that outputs an operation signal for the main body and a remote control signal receiver that is provided in the main body and receives the operation signal, and that can be remotely controlled from the remote control (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Also, a remote control with a learning function is known that has a light receiving section for receiving infrared signals from a remote control attached to another device, in addition to a light emitting section for sending infrared rays toward a device to be operated (for example, Patent Document 2). The remote control with a learning function can add functions of a remote control attached to another device by sending infrared rays from the target remote control toward the light receiving section and registering the infrared signal. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-35985 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2010-56821 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] A remote control with a learning function is convenient because it can register the infrared signals of multiple devices and can operate multiple devices with just one remote control. However, to register an infrared signal, a remote control that comes with the device is required, and it cannot operate devices that do not have a remote control. However, including a remote control with a device increases the cost of the product.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide an air conditioner that can be remotely controlled using a remote control with a learning function while suppressing increases in product costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention includes a body and a transmitter that transmits an infrared signal instructing an operation of the main body to the outside of the main body; a receiving unit for receiving an infrared signal transmitted from a remote control means; A control unit, The control unit has an infrared signal registration mode, the infrared signal registration mode is a mode executed when an infrared signal transmitted from the transmission unit is stored in the remote control means, the control unit has a remote operation mode that allows operation of the main body from the remote operation means and a remote operation prohibited mode that prohibits operation of the main body from the remote operation means, and selectively sets one of the remote operation mode and the remote operation prohibited mode; In the air conditioner, when the infrared signal registration mode is executed simultaneously with the remote operation prohibition mode being set, the remote operation mode is set when the infrared signal registration mode is finished. Effect of the Invention

[0008] By configuring as described above, an air conditioner that can be remotely controlled by a remote control means with a learning function can be obtained while suppressing increases in production costs. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is an external perspective view of a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 3 is a detailed diagram of an operation unit and a display unit of the humidifier of the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4]1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be briefly described below, showing the operation of the present invention.

[0011] The present invention is an air conditioner comprising a transmitter that transmits infrared signals to the outside of the main body to instruct the operation of the main body, a receiver that receives infrared signals transmitted from a remote control means, and a controller, the controller having an infrared signal registration mode that is executed when the infrared signal transmitted from the transmitter is stored in the remote control means. In other words, since the infrared signal can be transmitted from the main body without the need for an attached remote control, the infrared signal can be stored in the remote control means. This makes it possible to remotely control the air conditioner using a remote control means with a learning function while suppressing increases in product costs.

[0012] The receiver is disposed at a position where it can receive the infrared signal transmitted by the transmitter, and the control unit performs self-diagnosis to diagnose a malfunction of the transmitter or receiver in the infrared signal registration mode. By disposing the receiver at a position where it can receive the infrared signal transmitted by the transmitter, when an infrared signal is transmitted from the transmitter, it becomes possible to perform self-diagnosis using the infrared signal.

[0013] The device also includes a display unit that displays the operation of the main body, and the control unit displays a first display on the display unit only when, in self-diagnosis, it instructs the transmitting unit to transmit an infrared signal and the receiving unit receives the infrared signal, and the first display includes a display indicating the operation of the main body that is instructed by the infrared signal transmitted by the transmitting unit. By displaying the first display, it is possible to inform the user that the transmitting unit and the receiving unit are normal. Furthermore, since the first display includes a display indicating the operation of the main body that is instructed by the infrared signal transmitted by the transmitting unit, it is possible to register the infrared signal to the remote control means while checking the operation of the main body that is instructed by the infrared signal.

[0014] Furthermore, in the infrared signal registration mode, the control unit does not instruct the transmission unit to transmit an infrared signal while the receiving unit is receiving an infrared signal. If the transmission unit is instructed to transmit an infrared signal while the receiving unit is receiving an infrared signal transmitted from, for example, a remote control means, even if the transmitting unit is broken and unable to transmit an infrared signal, the receiving unit will receive the infrared signal, leading to the self-diagnosis determining that the transmitting unit and the receiving unit are normal. By not instructing the transmission unit to transmit an infrared signal while the receiving unit is receiving an infrared signal, a misdiagnosis in the self-diagnosis can be prevented.

[0015] The control unit also includes a determination unit that determines whether the infrared signal received by the receiving unit is a valid signal instructing an operation of the main body, and in the infrared signal registration mode, when the receiving unit receives an infrared signal after the transmitting unit has completed transmission of the infrared signal, or when the receiving unit receives an infrared signal without instructing the transmitting unit to transmit an infrared signal, the determination unit determines whether the infrared signal is a valid signal, and when it determines that the infrared signal is a valid infrared signal, causes the display unit to display a second display indicating the operation of the main body instructed by the infrared signal received by the receiving unit. This allows the user to determine whether the infrared signal has been correctly registered by checking the second display.

[0016] Furthermore, the control unit does not instruct the transmission unit to transmit an infrared signal while the first display or the second display is being performed. Since both the first display and the second display are displayed on the display unit, if the first display and the second display are displayed simultaneously, it is not possible to determine which display is causing the main body operation indicated by each display, and it is not possible to determine whether the infrared signal has been correctly registered to the remote control means. Furthermore, if the transmission unit is instructed to transmit an infrared signal while the first display is being displayed and the first display is overlapped, it is not possible to determine which display is causing the main body operation indicated by each display, and it is not possible to determine whether the desired infrared signal has been transmitted to the remote control means. By displaying each display independently, it is possible to determine whether the infrared signal has been correctly registered to the remote control means and whether the desired infrared signal has been transmitted.

[0017] The control unit has a remote operation mode that enables operation of the main body from the remote operation means and a remote operation prohibited mode that prohibits operation of the main body from the remote operation means, and selectively sets either the remote operation mode or the remote operation prohibited mode, and sets the remote operation mode when the infrared signal registration mode ends with the remote operation prohibited mode set. Since the user's use of the infrared signal registration mode is considered to indicate an intention to perform remote operation, the remote operation mode is set when the infrared signal registration mode ends, thereby eliminating the need to select the remote operation mode and improving convenience. EXAMPLES

[0018] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a humidifier will be described as an example of an air conditioner.

[0019] Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of a humidifier of this embodiment, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of the humidifier of this embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a detailed diagram of the operation unit and display unit of the humidifier of this embodiment. On the top surface of the main body 1 of the humidifier, there are provided an operation unit 2 provided with a number of switches for instructing the operation of the humidifier, a display unit 3 for displaying the operating status, and an air outlet 4 for blowing out humidified air.

[0020] The back of main body 1 is provided with an intake port 5 for taking in indoor air into main body 1. In addition, at the bottom inside main body 1, water tank section 7 is provided which receives water from water supply tank 6 and stores a certain amount of water, and water tank section 7 is provided with water-absorbent vaporization filter 8, and water tank section 7 and vaporization filter 8 constitute humidification means 9 which generates humidified air. Part of vaporization filter 8 is immersed in the water inside water tank section 7, and becomes moist by sucking up this water.

[0021] A blower 12 consisting of a fan 10 and a motor 11 is provided above the vaporization filter 8, and the driving of this blower 12 blows air into the air passage leading from the suction port 5 to the air outlet 4. A heater 13 is provided upstream of the vaporization filter 8 in the air passage for heating the air introduced from the suction port 5 to turn it into hot air, and an internal body temperature detection means 25 for detecting the temperature inside the main body 1 is disposed upstream of the heater 13.

[0022] The humidifier can be remotely controlled by storing an infrared signal that instructs the operation of the main body 1 in a remote control means (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as a remote control means) with a learning function (not shown). The types of operations of the main body 1 that can be instructed from the remote control means may be more limited than those of the main body 1 that can be instructed from the operation unit 2. The humidifier includes a transmitter 14 that transmits an infrared signal to the outside of the main body 1, and a receiver 15 that receives an infrared signal transmitted from the remote control means, and the receiver 15 is disposed in a position where it can receive the infrared signal transmitted by the transmitter 14. In this embodiment, the transmitter 14 and the receiver 15 are disposed next to the 7-segment display unit 30, and the receiver 15 directly receives the infrared signal transmitted from the transmitter 14. Furthermore, a plate (not shown) coated with IR-transmitting paint is disposed in front of the transmitter 14 and the receiver 15. The arrangement of the transmitter 14 and the receiver 15 is not limited to this embodiment, and it is sufficient that the receiver 15 can receive the infrared signal transmitted from the transmitter 14. For example, an infrared signal transmitted from the transmitting unit 14 may be reflected and received by the receiving unit 15 .

[0023] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the humidifier of this embodiment. Instructions related to the operation of the main body 1 are input from the operation unit 2 and the receiving unit 15 to the control unit 40 that controls the operation of the main body 1. The operation unit 2 is provided with various switches operated by the user, and in this embodiment, it includes an operation switch 20 that instructs the start and stop of the operation of the main body 1, a humidity setting switch 21 that sets the target humidity in the room, an on timer switch 22 that sets the on timer of the main body 1, and an off timer switch 23 that sets the off timer of the main body 1. Furthermore, information from various detection means is input to the control unit 40. As various detection means, in this embodiment, it includes a main body temperature detection means 25 that detects the temperature inside the main body 1 and a humidity detection means 26 that detects the humidity of the indoor air. The various switches and various detection means are not limited to those in this embodiment, and other switches and detection means may be provided.

[0024] The control unit 40 also includes a determination unit 41, which determines whether the infrared signal received by the receiving unit 15 is a valid signal instructing the main body 1 to operate.

[0025] The output side of the control unit 40 is connected to the blower 12, heater 13, display unit 3, and transmission unit 14. The control unit 40 performs humidification operation by setting the rotation speed of the blower 12 and the output of the heater 13 based on inputted instructions and information related to operation. The display unit 3 is composed of a 7-segment display unit 30, an LED display unit 31, and a dot light-emitting unit 32. The 7-segment display unit 30 displays the indoor air humidity detected by the humidity detection means 26, and the LED display unit 31 having a plurality of LEDs lights up an LED corresponding to the operation of the main body 1 selected by the operation unit 2 and the receiving unit 15. The dot light-emitting unit 32 will be described later.

[0026] The operation of the above-mentioned humidifier will now be described. When an instruction to start operation is given from operation switch 20 or remote control means, the humidifier drives blower 12 and takes in indoor air from intake port 5 into main body 1. The taken-in air becomes hot air as it passes through heater 13, and the hot air becomes humidified air by passing through evaporation filter 8, and the humidified air is discharged into the room from outlet 4. Control unit 40 performs humidification operation based on input instructions related to the operation of main body 1 and information from various detection means, and brings the indoor humidity close to the set target humidity.

[0027] The control unit 40 also has an infrared signal registration mode. The infrared signal registration mode is a mode executed when an infrared signal instructing the operation of the main body 1 transmitted from the transmission unit 14 is stored in the remote control means, and is executed by performing a predetermined switch operation while the main body 1 is not operating. In this embodiment, the predetermined switch operation is a long press of the off timer switch 23.

[0028] Generally, registration of an infrared signal to a remote control means is performed by transmitting an infrared signal from a remote control attached to the device to the remote control means. Therefore, in order to register an infrared signal, a remote control attached to the device is required. However, in the humidifier of this embodiment, an infrared signal can be transmitted from the main body 1 by executing an infrared signal registration mode, so that an infrared signal can be stored in the remote control means even if the main body 1 does not have an attached remote control.

[0029] Furthermore, the control unit 40 has a remote operation mode and a remote operation prohibited mode. Either the remote operation mode or the remote operation prohibited mode is selectively set, and it is possible to select whether or not to enable remote operation of the main body 1. The remote operation mode is a mode that enables operation of the main body 1 from a remote operation means, and the remote operation prohibited mode is a mode that prohibits operation of the main body 1 from a remote operation means. The mode is switched by a predetermined switch operation, and in this embodiment, the mode can be switched by pressing and holding the on timer switch 22.

[0030] Next, a method of registering an infrared signal in the remote control means will be described. First, the off timer switch 23 is pressed and held to execute the infrared signal registration mode. At this time, the control unit 40 can execute the infrared signal registration mode regardless of whether the remote control mode or the remote operation prohibited mode is set. After that, the operation of the main body 1 to be stored in the remote control means is selected, and an infrared signal instructing the operation is transmitted to the outside of the main body 1. For example, when an infrared signal instructing the start of operation of the main body 1 is to be stored in the remote control means, the operation switch 20 is operated to select the instruction to start operation of the main body 1, and then the on timer switch 22 is pressed. By pressing the on timer switch 22, an infrared signal instructing the start of operation of the main body 1 is transmitted from the transmission unit 14 to the outside of the main body 1. The remote control means receives and stores this infrared signal, making it possible to transmit an infrared signal instructing the start of operation of the main body 1 from the remote control means. This makes it possible to eliminate the need for an attached remote control, suppress an increase in product costs, and perform remote operation using a remote control means with a learning function.

[0031] When the infrared signal registration is complete, press and hold the off timer switch 23 again to end the infrared signal registration mode. The infrared signal registration mode also ends if a predetermined time has elapsed without any valid switch operation.

[0032] At this time, when the infrared signal registration mode ends while the remote operation prohibition mode is set, the remote operation mode may be set. Since the user's use of the infrared signal registration mode is considered to indicate an intention to perform remote operation, the remote operation mode is set when the infrared signal registration mode ends, which eliminates the need to select the remote operation mode and improves convenience. When the remote operation mode is selected, the dot light emitting unit 32 lights up to indicate that the remote operation mode has been selected. Note that the above switch operation is merely an example, and other switches may be used for operation.

[0033] Incidentally, in order to perform remote control using a remote control means with a learning function, the remote control means must transmit a valid infrared signal that instructs the operation of the main body 1, and the receiving unit 15 must be able to receive that signal normally, and further, in the infrared signal registration mode, the transmitting unit 14 must be able to transmit the infrared signal normally. Therefore, in the infrared signal registration mode, the control unit 40 can perform self-diagnosis to determine whether there is a malfunction in the transmitting unit 14 and receiving unit 15 of the main body 1, and valid signal determination to determine whether the infrared signal transmitted from the remote control means is a valid signal. Below, the self-diagnosis and valid signal determination will be described separately.

[0034] First, the self-diagnosis will be described. If the transmitting unit 14 or the receiving unit 15 is out of order, the transmitting unit 14 cannot transmit an infrared signal to the remote control means, and the receiving unit 15 cannot receive an infrared signal from the remote control means. However, because infrared rays are invisible, it is difficult for the user to notice a malfunction of the transmitting unit 14 or the receiving unit 15. Therefore, a malfunction is determined by self-diagnosis.

[0035] Self-diagnosis is performed when on-timer switch 22 is pressed to transmit an infrared signal. Specifically, control unit 40 instructs transmitting unit 14 to transmit an infrared signal, and determines whether transmitting unit 14 and receiving unit 15 are malfunctioning based on whether receiving unit 15 has received the infrared signal. Because receiving unit 15 is positioned so that it can receive signals from transmitting unit 14, when transmitting unit 14 transmits an infrared signal, self-diagnosis can be performed using the infrared signal.

[0036] Furthermore, in the self-diagnosis, only when the transmitter 14 is instructed to transmit an infrared signal and the receiver 15 receives the infrared signal, a first display is made on the display 3. By making the first display, it is possible to inform the user that the transmitter 14 and the receiver 15 are normal. The first display may also include a display showing the operation of the main body 1 instructed by the infrared signal transmitted by the transmitter 14. This makes it possible to register the infrared signal to the remote control means while checking the operation of the main body 1 instructed by the infrared signal.

[0037] Here, an example of the first display will be described with reference to FIG. 3. In this embodiment, the first display is configured by a display indicating the operation of the main body 1 instructed by the infrared signal displayed on the 7-segment display unit 30 and the LED display unit 31, and the blinking of the dot light emitting unit 32, and is displayed for 3 seconds. The display indicating the operation of the main body 1 instructed by the infrared signal is displayed on the 7-segment display unit 30 if the LED display unit 31 does not have an LED corresponding to that operation. For example, if the instruction is to start operation, "On" lights up on the 7-segment display unit, and if the instruction is to stop operation, "OF" lights up on the 7-segment display unit. On the other hand, if the LED display unit 31 has an LED corresponding to that operation, it is displayed on the 7-segment display unit 30 and the LED display unit 31. For example, if the instruction is to set the humidity to 60%, "--" lights up on the 7-segment display unit 30, and the LED to the left of the notation "60%" on the LED display unit 31 lights up.

[0038] When the transmitting unit 14 is instructed to transmit an infrared signal and the receiving unit 15 does not receive the infrared signal, the first display is not performed. At this time, the display unit 3 may display a different display from the first display by turning on or off the dot light emitting units 32, or may turn off all displays.

[0039] Furthermore, in the infrared signal registration mode, while the receiving unit 15 is receiving an infrared signal, the control unit 40 may not instruct the transmitting unit 14 to transmit an infrared signal. While the receiving unit 15 is receiving an infrared signal, the control unit 40 may not accept an instruction to transmit an infrared signal from the operating unit 2, or may accept the instruction but not execute it. If a device that transmits an infrared signal (for example, a remote control with a learning function or a remote control attached to another device) is operated around the main body 1 during the infrared signal registration mode, and the transmitting unit 14 is instructed to transmit an infrared signal while the receiving unit 15 is receiving the infrared signal, even if the transmitting unit 14 is broken and cannot transmit an infrared signal, the receiving unit 15 will receive the infrared signal, and the transmitting unit 14 and the receiving unit 15 will be determined to be normal in the self-diagnosis. By not instructing the transmitting unit 14 to transmit an infrared signal while the receiving unit 15 is receiving an infrared signal, a misdiagnosis in the self-diagnosis can be prevented.

[0040] Next, the valid signal determination will be explained. When an infrared signal is stored in the remote control means, there is a possibility that an incorrect infrared signal is registered in the remote control means due to the operation of a remote control attached to another device nearby. In that case, the main body 1 cannot be operated with the registered infrared signal. Therefore, when an infrared signal transmitted from the transmitting unit 14 is stored in the remote control means, an infrared signal may be transmitted from the remote control means to confirm whether the stored infrared signal is a correct signal. It is also conceivable that the user himself operates the remote control means to transmit an infrared signal and confirm whether the stored infrared signal is a correct signal. Therefore, the valid signal determination is performed to determine whether the infrared signal received by the receiving unit 15 is a valid signal.

[0041] In the valid signal determination, in the infrared signal registration mode, when the receiving unit 15 receives an infrared signal after the transmitting unit 14 has completed transmitting an infrared signal, or when the receiving unit 15 receives an infrared signal without instructing the transmitting unit 14 to transmit an infrared signal, the determination unit 41 determines whether the infrared signal is valid. If the determination is that the infrared signal is valid, the determination unit 41 displays a second display on the display unit 3 indicating the operation of the main body 1 instructed by the infrared signal received by the receiving unit 15. This allows the user to determine whether the infrared signal has been correctly registered by checking the second display.

[0042] Here, an example of the second display will be described with reference to FIG. 3. In this embodiment, the second display is a display indicating the operation of the main body 1 instructed by the infrared signal displayed on the 7-segment display unit 30 and the LED display unit 31, and is displayed for three seconds. If the LED display unit 31 does not have an LED corresponding to the operation, the display indicating the operation of the main body 1 instructed by the infrared signal is displayed on the 7-segment display unit 30. For example, if the instruction is to start operation, "On" flashes on the 7-segment display unit 30, and if the instruction is to stop operation, "OF" flashes on the 7-segment display unit 30. On the other hand, if the LED display unit 31 has an LED corresponding to the operation, it is displayed on the 7-segment display unit 30 and the LED display unit 31. For example, if the instruction is to set the humidity to 60%, "--" flashes on the 7-segment display unit 30, and the LED to the left of the notation "60%" on the LED display unit 31 flashes. Note that when the second display is performed, the second display may be displayed alone or in combination with other displays (such as the lighting of the dot light emitting unit 32).

[0043] The second display is displayed on the display unit 3 in the same manner as the first display described above. Therefore, when the first display and the second display are displayed simultaneously, it is not possible to determine which display is causing the operation of the main body 1 indicated by each display, and it is not possible to determine whether the infrared signal has been correctly registered to the remote control means. Furthermore, when an instruction to transmit an infrared signal is given to the transmitting unit 14 during the first display and the first display overlaps, it is not possible to determine which display is causing the operation of the main body 1 indicated by each display, and it is not possible to determine whether the desired infrared signal has been transmitted to the remote control means. Therefore, the control unit 40 may not instruct the transmitting unit 14 to transmit an infrared signal while the first display or the second display is being performed (for 3 seconds in this embodiment). This allows each display to be displayed independently, making it possible to determine whether the infrared signal has been correctly registered to the remote control means and whether the desired infrared signal has been transmitted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1 Main unit 3 Display section 14 Transmitter 15 Receiving section 40 Control section 41 Judgment section

Claims

[Claim 1] The main body, a transmitter that transmits an infrared signal instructing an operation of the main body to the outside of the main body; a receiving unit for receiving an infrared signal transmitted from a remote control means; A control unit, The control unit has an infrared signal registration mode, the infrared signal registration mode is a mode executed when an infrared signal transmitted from the transmission unit is stored in the remote control means, the control unit has a remote operation mode that allows operation of the main body from the remote operation means and a remote operation prohibited mode that prohibits operation of the main body from the remote operation means, and selectively sets one of the remote operation mode and the remote operation prohibited mode; When the infrared signal registration mode is executed simultaneously with the remote operation prohibition mode being set, the air conditioner sets the remote operation mode when the infrared signal registration mode is terminated.

Images