Air conditioner controller

Abstract

To provide a controller of an air conditioner which can obtain a room temperature properly.SOLUTION: A controller 1 according to an embodiment is used for an air conditioner 10, which performs air conditioning based on a room temperature, and includes: a housing 2; a heat source temperature sensor 9 which is provided inside the housing 2 and measures a temperature of a heat source which generates heat during an operation as a heat source temperature; an internal temperature sensor 8 which is provided inside the housing 2, arranged in a position spaced apart from the heat source, and measures a temperature in the housing 2 as an internal temperature; and a control unit 3 which obtains the room temperature based on a temperature difference between the measured heat source temperature and the measured internal temperature.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a controller used to operate an air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a temperature sensor is provided to measure the room temperature in a room to be air-conditioned, and an air conditioner is controlled based on the room temperature measured by the temperature sensor (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-165632 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In such an air conditioner, a temperature sensor may be provided inside the housing of the controller, and in that case, the temperature sensor measures the temperature inside the housing. Meanwhile, inside the housing is a heat source, such as a microcomputer, that generates heat during operation. When the heat source generates heat during operation, the heat causes the temperature inside the housing to rise, and the measurement value of the temperature sensor becomes higher than the actual room temperature. For this reason, in the past, the room temperature was estimated by performing complex corrections on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor according to the expected heat generation.

[0005] However, there are factors other than heat generation inside the housing that affect the temperature measured by the temperature sensor. That is, when air flow occurs in the room where the controller is installed, the air flow takes heat away from the housing, and the temperature inside the housing, that is, the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, drops. As a result, if the same correction value is used for correction in a state with and without air flow, there is a risk that excessive correction will be performed in the state with air flow. In this case, since the temperature itself measured in a state with and without air flow changes, and since it is practically difficult to accurately grasp the influence of air flow, it becomes difficult to accurately obtain the room temperature.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a controller for an air conditioner that can accurately determine a room temperature. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In the invention described in claim 1, the controller of the air conditioning device performs air conditioning based on room temperature, and includes a housing, a heat source temperature sensor provided within the housing for measuring the temperature of a heat source generated during operation as the heat source temperature, an internal temperature sensor provided within the housing and positioned away from the heat source for measuring the temperature inside the housing as the internal temperature, and a control unit for determining the room temperature based on the temperature difference between the measured heat source temperature and the internal temperature.

[0008] By calculating the room temperature based on the temperature difference between the heat source temperature and the internal temperature in this manner, even if the heat source temperature and the internal temperature are each affected by the room temperature, the room temperature can be accurately calculated while absorbing that influence.

[0009] In the invention described in claim 2, the control unit calculates the amount of rise in the internal temperature caused by the effect of heat generation from the heat source relative to the room temperature, and calculates the room temperature based on the calculated amount of rise. This makes it possible to calculate the room temperature even if the heat source temperature or the internal temperature itself changes when the room temperature changes or due to the presence or absence of air flow. Therefore, the room temperature can be appropriately calculated according to the environment in which the controller is actually installed, and according to the situation in which the room temperature or the target temperature changes.

[0010] In the invention described in claim 3, the control unit calculates the amount of rise in the internal temperature using an influence coefficient calculated in advance as the ratio between the temperature difference between the heat source temperature measured at a known room temperature and the room temperature, and the temperature difference between the internal temperature and the room temperature. This makes it possible to calculate the room temperature appropriately according to the situation where the room temperature or the target temperature changes, without the need for complex calculations.

[0011] In the invention described in claim 4, the control unit controls the air conditioner based on the room temperature calculated using the amount of rise in the internal temperature within a range of target temperatures that can be set by the control unit itself, thereby enabling the air conditioner to operate appropriately as a controller. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a controller according to the first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the internal layout of the housing; [Diagram 3] A diagram showing an example of changes in temperature measurements when there is no wind and when there is air being blown [Figure 4] A diagram showing the process for calculating room temperature [Diagram 5] Diagram to explain how to calculate the impact coefficient [Figure 6] Figure 1 shows an example of the results of calculating room temperature using the influence coefficient [Figure 7] Figure 2 shows an example of the results of calculating room temperature using the influence coefficient [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of individual differences in heat source temperature in the second embodiment; [Figure 9] A diagram showing an example of individual differences in internal temperature [Figure 10] A diagram showing the process flow for calculating correction values [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example of the heat source temperature after correction and the calculated temperature. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, a number of embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, parts that are substantially common to the embodiments will be described with the same reference numerals.

[0014] (First embodiment) As shown in Fig. 1, the controller 1 of this embodiment includes a housing 2, a control unit 3, a storage unit 4, a display unit 5, an operation unit 6, a communication unit 7, an internal temperature sensor 8, and a heat source temperature sensor 9. This controller 1 is for setting a target temperature for an air conditioner 10 and displaying a room temperature (Ta). However, the configuration of the controller 1 shown in Fig. 1 is an example and is not limited to this.

[0015] The housing 2 is formed into a thin, roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape using, for example, a resin material, and is attached to an installation surface such as a wall surface in a room to be air-conditioned, such as an office or a room. In this embodiment, the housing 2 is assumed to be relatively small. Here, "relatively small" refers to a size that is considered to allow the entire housing 2 to be in roughly uniform contact with air when air flows around the housing 2, such as a size of less than about 100 mm on a side.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 2, a board 11 is disposed inside the housing 2, on which electrical components such as the control unit 3, the internal temperature sensor 8, and the heat source temperature sensor 9 are mounted. Note that in Fig. 2, the board 11 is shown by being hatched in a schematic manner. Also, in Fig. 2, for the sake of simplicity, other electrical components are not shown, but components such as connectors used in the display unit 5, the operation unit 6, or the communication unit 7 are also mounted on the board 11.

[0017] The control unit 3 is configured with a microcomputer equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. (not shown). The control unit 3 controls the controller 1 by reading and executing a program stored in the storage unit 4. For example, the control unit 3 executes a process of instructing the start / stop of the operation of the air conditioner 10 and a process of instructing a target temperature in response to an operation input to the operation unit 6. The control unit 3 also executes a process of calculating the room temperature, the details of which will be described later.

[0018] The storage unit 4 is configured with a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, and stores programs and various data for controlling the controller 1. In this embodiment, the storage unit 4 is built in the control unit 3, but it may be configured as an external storage unit to the control unit 3. The storage unit 4 stores an influence coefficient (k) that is determined in advance by a preliminary test, the details of which will be described later.

[0019] The display unit 5 is provided on the front side of the housing 2 when the housing 2 is attached to the installation surface. Although not shown in the drawings, the display unit 5 is composed of light-emitting components such as a liquid crystal panel capable of displaying letters and numbers, and LEDs that indicate the operating status.

[0020] The operation unit 6 is provided on the front side of the housing 2, similar to the display unit 5, and is used to input operations such as starting / stopping the operation of the air conditioner 10 and setting or changing the target temperature. The operation unit 6 can be configured, for example, by a mechanical switch or a touch panel provided corresponding to the display area of ​​the display unit 5.

[0021] The communication unit 7 is communicatively connected to the air conditioner 10, and communicates control signals, such as instructions to start / stop the operation of the air conditioner 10 and instructions for the target temperature, with the air conditioner 10. This communication unit 7 is assumed to be of a wired communication type, but it is also possible to adopt a wireless communication type that uses, for example, infrared rays.

[0022] The internal temperature sensor 8 is configured with well-known devices such as a resistance temperature detector type, a thermistor type, a thermocouple type, or an integrated circuit type, and measures the temperature of the place where it is installed, that is, the temperature inside the housing 2. As shown in Fig. 2, this internal temperature sensor 8 is disposed at a position on the right side and close to the bottom side of the housing 2, that is, in the right corner of the housing 2. On the other hand, the control unit 3, which is a heat source that generates heat during operation, is disposed at a position on the left side and close to the bottom side of the housing 2, that is, in the lower right corner of the housing 2, which is the opposite side to the internal temperature sensor 8.

[0023] In other words, the internal temperature sensor 8 is located at a position away from the heat source, at the lower side where the temperature is relatively low when the temperature inside the housing 2 rises, and is located in a positional relationship where a certain degree of significant temperature difference is obtained with respect to the temperature of the heat source when the heat source generates heat during operation. Note that the location where a significant temperature difference is obtained can be determined in advance by a method such as thermal design, taking into consideration the shape and size of the housing 2, the location of the electrical components housed therein, and the like.

[0024] Further, a plurality of slits 2a communicating with the outside of the housing 2 are provided near the internal temperature sensor 8. In this embodiment, the slits 2a are formed by forming openings in the walls on the lower and right ends of the housing 2 at the lower right corner of the housing 2. Therefore, the internal temperature sensor 8 is easily exposed to the air in the room.

[0025] However, although the internal temperature sensor 8 is near the slit 2a, it is still disposed inside the housing 2, and therefore measures the temperature inside the housing 2 that is warmed by the heat generated by the heat source. Hereinafter, the temperature inside the housing 2 measured by the internal temperature sensor 8 is also referred to as the internal temperature (T2).

[0026] The heat source temperature sensor 9 is configured with well-known devices such as a resistance temperature detector type, thermistor type, thermocouple type, or integrated circuit type, and measures the temperature of the control unit 3, that is, the heat source. Specifically, the heat source temperature sensor 9 directly measures the temperature of the heat source by being placed near the control unit 3 or attached to the package of the control unit 3. Hereinafter, the temperature of the heat source measured by the heat source temperature sensor 9 is also referred to as the heat source temperature (T1).

[0027] In this embodiment, the heat source temperature sensor 9 is disposed between the control unit 3, which is the heat source, and the internal temperature sensor 8, and is positioned closer to the heat source side. In this case, the heat source temperature sensor 9 can be disposed on a virtual line (CL) passing through the control unit 3 and the internal temperature sensor 8, or at a position within a predetermined range from the virtual line (CL). Note that, for example, if the control unit 3 has a built-in temperature sensor, the temperature sensor can be used as the heat source temperature sensor 9.

[0028] In this embodiment, the air conditioner 10 is assumed to be of a so-called central heating type, and air cooled or heated by the air conditioner 10 is supplied through a duct 12 and from an air outlet 13 opening into the room as shown by arrow F. However, the method for calculating the room temperature in this embodiment can also be applied to an arrangement consisting of a so-called outdoor unit and an indoor unit. Hereinafter, the state in which air conditioning operation is being performed in which air flow is generated by the air conditioner 10 will be referred to as the "air blowing state," and the state in which air conditioning operation is being performed in which no air flow is generated will be referred to as the "windless state."

[0029] Next, the operation of the controller 1 having the above configuration will be described. As described above, since there is a heat source such as the control unit 3 inside the housing 2 that generates heat during operation, when the heat source generates heat during operation, the internal temperature of the housing 2 rises due to the heat generated, and the measurement value of the internal temperature sensor 8 becomes higher than the actual room temperature. For this reason, in the past, the room temperature was estimated by performing complex corrections on the temperature measured by the internal temperature sensor 8 according to the expected amount of heat generation.

[0030] However, there are factors other than heat generation inside the housing 2 that affect the temperature measured by the internal temperature sensor 8. That is, as shown in Fig. 3, when the state changes from no wind to a blowing state, an air flow occurs in the room in which the controller 1 is installed, and the air flow removes heat from the housing 2, causing the internal temperature (T2) of the housing 2 measured by the internal temperature sensor 8 to drop.

[0031] On the other hand, even if air flow occurs, the conditioned room temperature (Ta) does not change as much as the internal temperature (T2). Therefore, if the internal temperature (T2) is corrected using a correction value (ΔH) according to the amount of heat generated, for example, at time (x) when there is no wind, the corrected temperature obtained by subtracting the correction value (ΔT) from the internal temperature (T1(x)) roughly matches the room temperature (Ta), but at time (y) when there is air flow, if the correction value (ΔT) is subtracted from the internal temperature (T1(y)), the corrected temperature is lower than the room temperature (Ta), and an error (Err) occurs between the actual room temperature and the corrected temperature.

[0032] In other words, if the same correction is made in both the no-wind state and the blowing state, there is a risk of excessive correction being made. In this case, although it is considered possible to know whether there is air flow or not from the operating state, it is assumed that the amount of heat taken from the housing 2 differs depending on the air flow, and considering that the size of the place where the controller 1 is installed and the layout of the room differ, it is difficult to know the air flow in advance.

[0033] Therefore, the controller 1 is designed to be able to appropriately measure the room temperature without making excessive corrections in both the no-wind state and the blowing state. Specifically, the controller 1 executes the process shown in Fig. 4 to obtain the room temperature (Ta) based on the temperature difference (ΔT) between the heat source temperature (T1) and the internal temperature (T2) measured during operation.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 4, the controller 1 measures the heat source temperature (T1) in step S1, and measures the internal temperature (T2) in step S2. Note that steps S1 and S2 can be performed in any order. Next, the controller 1 calculates the temperature difference (ΔT) between the heat source temperature (T1) and the internal temperature (T2) in step S3, and calculates the amount of rise (OFS) of the internal temperature (T2) relative to the room temperature using the influence coefficient (k) in step S4. Note that OFS is an abbreviation for Offset.

[0035] Here, the impact coefficient (k) is a coefficient defined to determine the impact that the heat generated by the heat source has on the measurement value of the internal temperature sensor 8. In this embodiment, a preliminary test is conducted and the impact coefficient (k) is determined as the ratio of the temperature difference between the heat source temperature measured at a known room temperature and room temperature to the temperature difference between the internal temperature and room temperature.

[0036] Specifically, in the preliminary test, the controller 1 is installed in a test environment where a constant room temperature can be maintained, and the heat source temperature and the internal temperature are measured in a windless state. In other words, the influence coefficient (k) is obtained in a state without disturbance. In this preliminary test, the measurement results of each temperature are, for example, as shown in Figure 5, the room temperature is Ta(z), the measured heat source temperature is T1(z), and the measured internal temperature is T2(z).

[0037] In this case, the relationship between the temperatures is that the heat source temperature is the highest, the room temperature is the lowest, and the internal temperature is in between. This is because the internal temperature sensor 8 itself does not generate heat, but the heat source generates heat during operation, which warms the air inside the housing 2, and the internal temperature sensor 8 measures the temperature of that air. measurement In other words, the internal temperature is measured to be higher than room temperature because the internal temperature sensor 8 is affected by the heat generated by the heat source.

[0038] At this time, since the heat flow is toward the low temperature side, the room temperature, which is the lowest temperature, is the end point of the heat flow, in other words, the reference point when considering the impact of heat. Furthermore, in a situation where the heat source temperature and room temperature are constant, such as in a test environment, the heat flows with a certain temperature gradient as shown in graph G. When the temperature gradient is constant, the relationship between the temperature difference between the heat source temperature and room temperature (OFS(z)+ΔT) and the temperature difference between the internal temperature and room temperature (OFS(z)) can be expressed as the following formula (1) when using the impact coefficient (k).

[0039] OFS(z)+ΔT(z)=k×OFS(z) ···(1)

[0040] From this equation (1), the influence coefficient (k) is calculated from the known room temperature and the heat source temperature and internal temperature measured at that room temperature, as shown in the following equation (2).

[0041] k=(OFS(z)+ΔT(z)) / OFS(z) ···(2)

[0042] In other words, the influence coefficient (k) can be defined as the ratio of the temperature difference between the heat source temperature and room temperature (OFS(z)+ΔT(z)) to the temperature difference between the internal temperature and room temperature (OFS(z)).

[0043] At this time, the temperature difference (OFS(z)) between the internal temperature and the room temperature corresponds to the amount of rise in the internal temperature due to the influence of the heat source. Therefore, the room temperature can be obtained by subtracting the amount of rise from the measured internal temperature. In other words, if the influence coefficient (k) is calculated in advance, the amount of rise in the internal temperature, that is, the temperature difference between the internal temperature and the room temperature, can be calculated using the influence coefficient (k) from the heat source temperature and the internal temperature measured during operation, and finally the room temperature can be calculated.

[0044] In addition, the influence coefficient (k) has no units, as can be seen from formula (1). When the heat source temperature changes, the influence on the internal temperature also changes, but in that case, the temperature difference between the internal temperature and room temperature, that is, the amount of rise in the internal temperature, also changes. Therefore, even if the temperature gradient changes due to a change in room temperature or heat source temperature, the influence coefficient (k) can be commonly used. In other words, the influence coefficient (k), which expresses the influence that the heat source has on the measurement value of the internal temperature sensor 8, is common even if the actual room temperature or heat source temperature is different from that in the pre-test.

[0045] This is believed to be because, when the internal structure of the housing 2 is the same, the positional relationship between the internal temperature sensor 8 and the heat source temperature sensor 9 does not change, the manner of heat transfer in the board 11 does not change, and, in the case of a relatively small and thin housing 2 as in this embodiment, the manner in which the entire housing is cooled by the air flow does not change. As will be described later with reference to Figures 6 and 7, it has been confirmed that the room temperature can be appropriately determined at a room temperature different from that during the preliminary test and at a different heat source temperature.

[0046] 4, the controller 1 obtains the amount of rise in the internal temperature (OFS) from the temperature difference between the heat source temperature and the internal temperature, and obtains the room temperature by subtracting the obtained amount of rise from the internal temperature in step S6. If an operation to end operation is input, the controller 1 ends the process because the result in step S7 is YES, whereas if operation has not ended, the result in step S7 is NO, and the controller 1 returns to step S1 to repeat the next measurement.

[0047] Here, the validity of the above-mentioned process will be explained with reference to Figures 6 and 7. First, assume that the heat source temperature is T1(m) and the internal temperature is T2(m) as shown by the black circle at time (m) in a windless state in Figure 6. At this time, the relationship between the heat source temperature, the internal temperature, and the amount of rise in the internal temperature (OFS(m)) shown in Figure 7 can be expressed as follows from equation (1).

[0048] OFS(m)+(T1(m)-T2(m))=k×OFS(m)

[0049] The influence coefficient (k) is calculated in advance, and the heat source temperature and the internal temperature are measured. By substituting these, the amount of rise (OSF(m)), that is, the temperature difference between the internal temperature and the room temperature, can be calculated. The room temperature can be calculated by subtracting the amount of rise from the measured internal temperature.

[0050] If the room temperature obtained by such processing is the calculated temperature (Tc), it has been confirmed that the calculated temperature (Tc(m)) at time (m) generally matches the actual room temperature (Ta), as shown by the black triangle in FIG. 6. In the case of this embodiment, it has been confirmed that the calculated temperature generally matches the actual room temperature. Note that although the criteria for determining whether or not the temperature generally matches varies depending on the required specifications, in this embodiment, it has been confirmed that the difference between the calculated temperature and the actual room temperature is within 1 degree (Fahrenheit).

[0051] Also, assume that the heat source temperature is T1(n) and the internal temperature is T2(n) as shown by the open circle in the air blowing state in Fig. 6. In this case, the relationship between the heat source temperature, the internal temperature, and the amount of rise in the internal temperature (OFS(n)) shown in Fig. 7 can be expressed as follows from equation (1).

[0052] OFS(n)+(T1(n)-T2(n))=k×OFS(n)

[0053] The influence coefficient (k) is calculated in advance, and the heat source temperature and the internal temperature are measured. By substituting these, the amount of rise (OSF(n)), that is, the temperature difference between the internal temperature and the room temperature, is calculated. The room temperature is calculated by subtracting the amount of rise from the measured internal temperature.

[0054] If the room temperature obtained by such processing is the calculated temperature (Tc), it was confirmed that the calculated temperature (Tc(n)) at time (n) generally coincides with the actual room temperature (Ta) as indicated by the open triangle in Fig. 6. In the case of this embodiment, it was confirmed that the calculated temperature generally coincides with the actual room temperature within a range of 1 degree (Fahrenheit), and it was confirmed that the room temperature was measured appropriately compared to the comparative temperature in which the internal temperature was corrected by a conventional method as a comparative example.

[0055] Furthermore, although not shown in the figure, a similar test was performed at a room temperature different from that in Fig. 6, and as a result, it was confirmed that the room temperature can be properly measured using a single influence coefficient (k) obtained by a preliminary test. In other words, it was confirmed that the controller 1 can properly measure the room temperature using a single influence coefficient (k) obtained by a preliminary test within a temperature range that can be regarded as so-called room temperature, more specifically, within a target temperature range that can be set by the controller 1, by executing the above-mentioned process.

[0056] As described above, it has been confirmed that the controller 1 can calculate the calculated temperature within a range of 1 degree (Fahrenheit) of the actual room temperature using the same impact coefficient (k) determined through preliminary testing, and can properly measure the room temperature, even when the heat source temperature and internal temperature change between still and blowing air conditions, and even when the room temperature itself changes between still and blowing air conditions.

[0057] According to the controller 1 described above, the following effects can be obtained. The controller 1 is for an air conditioner 10 that conditions the air based on room temperature, and comprises a housing 2, a heat source temperature sensor 9 that is provided inside the housing 2 and measures the temperature of the heat source generated during operation as the heat source temperature, an internal temperature sensor 8 that is provided inside the housing 2 and positioned away from the heat source and measures the temperature inside the housing 2 as the internal temperature, and a control unit 3 that controls the air conditioner 10 based on the room temperature in the room in which the housing 2 is installed.

[0058] Then, the control unit 3 calculates the room temperature based on the temperature difference between the measured heat source temperature and the internal temperature. By calculating the room temperature based on the temperature difference between the heat source temperature and the internal temperature in this way, even if the heat source temperature and the internal temperature are each affected by the room temperature, the room temperature can be calculated with high accuracy while absorbing the influence.

[0059] In addition, the control unit 3 calculates the amount of rise in the internal temperature caused by the effect of heat generation from the heat source relative to the room temperature, and calculates the room temperature based on the calculated amount of rise. This makes it possible to calculate the room temperature even if the heat source temperature or the internal temperature itself changes when the room temperature changes or due to the presence or absence of air flow. Therefore, the room temperature can be calculated accurately according to the environment in which the controller 1 is actually installed, according to the situation in which the room temperature or the target temperature changes, and even without understanding the air flow.

[0060] In addition, the control unit 3 calculates the amount of rise in the internal temperature using an influence coefficient (k) that is predefined as the ratio between the temperature difference between the heat source temperature measured in advance at a known room temperature and the room temperature, and the temperature difference between the internal temperature and the room temperature. This makes it possible to calculate the room temperature appropriately according to the situation where the room temperature or the target temperature changes, without the need for complex calculations.

[0061] Furthermore, the control unit 3 controls the air conditioner 10 based on the room temperature calculated using the amount of increase in the internal temperature within a range of target temperatures that the control unit 3 can set, thereby allowing the air conditioner 10 to be operated appropriately.

[0062] Furthermore, by arranging the internal temperature sensor 8 at a position away from the heat source, the temperature difference between the heat source temperature and the internal temperature can be increased, improving the accuracy in determining the room temperature.

[0063] In addition, by positioning the heat source temperature sensor 9 between the heat source and the internal temperature sensor 8, the temperatures measured by each sensor more accurately reflect the flow of heat from the heat source through the internal temperature sensor 8 to the outside of the housing 2, thereby improving the accuracy of the determined room temperature.

[0064] Second embodiment The second embodiment will be described below. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the heat source temperature used to calculate the internal temperature increase is corrected. In addition, the overall configuration and processing flow of the controller 1 are generally common to the first embodiment, so the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

[0065] Controllers 1 are manufactured using the same type of electrical components if they are the same product, but there may be individual differences in the electrical components used. For example, as shown in Figure 8, when the heat source temperatures of three controllers 1, G1, G2, and G3, were measured in a test environment with the same temperature, cases were confirmed in which there was a discrepancy in the heat source temperatures measured for each controller 1. However, the values ​​of the measurement results shown in Figure 8 are just an example.

[0066] For example, it was confirmed that there was a difference of about 5 degrees (Fahrenheit) in the heat source temperature measured immediately after powering on the controller 1 of G1 and G2, and a difference of about 5.5 degrees (Fahrenheit) in the heat source temperature measured immediately after powering on the controller 1 of G1 and G3. It was also confirmed that there was a difference of about 3 to 4 degrees (Fahrenheit) in each controller 1 even during the stable period when the temperature of the controller 1 has stabilized to a certain extent after some time has passed since powering on, and during the air blowing state when air blowing has started. It was also confirmed that there was a difference in the difference between immediately after powering on and the stable period or air blowing state, that is, there were individual differences in heat generation.

[0067] On the other hand, if the temperature difference during airflow is defined as the temperature difference between the heat source temperature during a stable period in a windless state and the heat source temperature during airflow, it was confirmed that the temperature difference during airflow tends to be approximately 6.1 degrees (Fahrenheit) for each controller 1. Note that the temperature difference during airflow is defined as the difference between the average value of the heat source temperature measured for a predetermined period during a stable period and the average value of the heat source temperature measured for a predetermined period in an airflow state. Also, while Figure 8 shows the measurement results for three units for the sake of simplicity, tests were conducted so that it could be statistically confirmed that the same tendency was observed.

[0068] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 9, the results of measuring the internal temperature of each controller 1 showed that the internal temperature deviation was within 1 degree (Fahrenheit), in other words, in the case of the controller 1, the influence of individual differences on the internal temperature was very small. It was also confirmed that the internal temperatures of each controller 1 were roughly consistent during the stable period and in the airflow state when airflow started, and that the temperature differences during airflow were also roughly consistent. Note that, for the sake of simplicity, Fig. 9 shows the measurement results of three controllers, but the tests were conducted so that it could be statistically confirmed that the same trends were observed.

[0069] Thus, the difference between the measurement results of the internal temperature sensor 8 and the heat source temperature sensor 9 is believed to be due to the individual difference in heat generation of the control unit 3 as a heat source. It can be seen that the individual difference is linked to the temperature difference between immediately after power-on and the stable period shown in Figure 8, in other words, there is an overall offset.

[0070] As a result, it is believed that different heat source temperature measurement results were obtained in different controllers 1. Also, for example, when a temperature sensor built into the control unit 3 is used as the heat source temperature sensor 9, it is expected that deviations in the measurement results due to similar individual differences will occur.

[0071] 8 and 9, it has been confirmed that the internal temperature is hardly affected by individual differences. Furthermore, it can be seen from the shapes of the graphs G1 to G3 in Fig. 8 that the influence of individual differences on the heat source temperature appears as a so-called offset value that pushes up or down the measured values ​​overall. Therefore, if the offset value for each controller 1 can be calculated, it is believed that the influence of individual differences in each controller 1 can be suppressed.

[0072] In other words, if the deviation in heat source temperature caused by individual differences can be corrected in some way, it would be possible to apply a similar correction to different controllers 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, the deviation in heat source temperature caused by individual differences is corrected to prevent errors from occurring in the calculated temperature.

[0073] Specifically, the controller 1 determines whether it is a calibration period in step S11 as shown in Fig. 10. In this embodiment, a predetermined period after power-on is set as the calibration period. Since the predetermined period immediately after power-on is immediately after the control unit 3 as a heat source is started, it is considered that the effect of heat generation by the control unit 3 on the heat source temperature is negligible.

[0074] Also, immediately after powering on, the internal temperature is considered to be roughly room temperature. In addition, the calibration period is a period before air conditioning control is performed and airflow has not yet started, so it is considered that there is little impact from airflow. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, it is clear that the internal temperature is not significantly affected by individual differences. Therefore, it is considered that the heat source temperature and internal temperature measured during the calibration period can be used as a standard for correcting individual differences.

[0075] Therefore, if it is the calibration period, the controller 1 determines YES in step S11, and measures the initial heat source temperature in step S12 and the initial internal temperature in step S13. Here, the initial heat source temperature means the heat source temperature measured during the calibration period, and the initial internal temperature means the internal temperature measured during the calibration period. Note that steps S12 and S13 can be performed in any order.

[0076] Then, in step S14, the controller 1 calculates an initial temperature difference, which is the temperature difference between the initial heat source temperature and the initial internal temperature, and in step S15, temperature difference is set as a correction value for correcting the heat source temperature when calculating the calculated temperature. This correction value is calculated by subtracting the initial heat source temperature from the initial internal temperature, as shown in the following formula. Correction value = Initial internal temperature - Initial heat source temperature

[0077] As can be understood by referring to Fig. 5, this correction value is calculated as a value excluding the influence of room temperature, that is, a value that is not dependent on the environment in which the controller 1 is installed. Moreover, this correction value is calculated as an amount of deviation in an actual value that should be common to each controller 1, that is, the offset value described above.

[0078] After determining the correction value, the controller 1 determines the room temperature generally according to the flow shown in Fig. 4. Specifically, the controller 1 measures the heat source temperature (T1) in step S1, and corrects the measured heat source temperature (T1) with the correction value. In the case of this embodiment, the corrected heat source temperature is determined by adding the correction value to the measured temperature, as shown in the following formula. Corrected heat source temperature = measured heat source temperature + correction value

[0079] Then, the controller 1 obtains the internal temperature in step S2, obtains the temperature difference between the corrected heat source temperature and the internal temperature in step S3, obtains the amount of rise in the internal temperature in step S4, and obtains the room temperature in step S5. In other words, the controller 1 corrects the heat source temperature used when obtaining the amount of rise in the internal temperature by using the correction value obtained when the power is turned on.

[0080] Fig. 11 shows the heat source temperature obtained by correcting the heat source temperature using the correction value, and the calculated temperature obtained based on the corrected heat source temperature. As shown in Fig. 11, in each of the controllers 1 G1 to G3, when the offset value is negative, the measurement results are generally lowered, and when the offset is positive, the measurement results are generally raised, so that the corrected heat source temperatures of each controller 1 are roughly the same, that is, individual differences are absorbed.

[0081] It was also confirmed that the calculated temperature calculated based on the corrected heat source temperature coincided with the room temperature (Ta) within a range of approximately 1 degree (Fahrenheit) for each of the controllers 1 of G1 to G3. In other words, it was confirmed that an appropriate room temperature can be obtained by correcting the heat source temperature measured during operation as described above. Therefore, the controller 1 can appropriately control the air conditioning in step S6 based on the calculated temperature calculated based on the corrected heat source temperature.

[0082] In this way, the controller 1 corrects the heat source temperature used when calculating the amount of increase in the internal temperature. The controller 1 also obtains the deviation in the heat source temperature caused by individual differences during the calibration period after power-on, and uses the deviation to perform correction. This makes it possible to reduce errors caused by individual differences in electrical components such as the heat source and the temperature sensor. Also, the controller 1 can be configured to calculate the correction value multiple times in a very short period during the calibration period, improving the validity and accuracy of the correction value.

[0083] At this time, since the heat source temperature is measured as room temperature + α and the internal temperature is measured as room temperature + β as shown in Fig. 5, by calculating the correction value by subtracting the initial heat source temperature from the initial internal temperature, it is possible to eliminate the influence of room temperature from the correction value and to obtain an appropriate correction value regardless of the installation environment of controller 1 or even after installation of controller 1. In this case, since it is considered that the controller is not in a state of blowing air during the calibration period immediately after power-on, it is possible to obtain an appropriate correction value without being influenced by air flow.

[0084] Furthermore, since it becomes possible to absorb individual differences during operation, that is, after the controller 1 is installed, and correction can be made by excluding the influence of room temperature, it is sufficient to find the influence coefficient at a certain room temperature in the pre-test, and testing at a different room temperature is not necessary. This makes it possible to significantly improve work efficiency and manufacturing efficiency and also greatly contribute to cost reduction.

[0085] Furthermore, by calculating the correction value during the calibration period, even if individual differences in the heat source or temperature sensor change due to aging, the correction value can be calculated in a way that absorbs those changes. This makes it possible to perform appropriate corrections over a long period of time, which means that quality can be ensured over a long period of time.

[0086] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or shown in the drawings, and can be modified or expanded without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and such modifications and expansions are included in the scope of equivalents.

[0087] For example, although the embodiment has been described with reference to a configuration in which one internal temperature sensor 8 is provided, it is possible to provide a configuration in which multiple internal temperature sensors 8 are provided. In this case, the room temperature is obtained using the multiple internal temperature sensors 8, and the accuracy can be improved by executing a process of averaging the values ​​or removing values ​​that are considered to be errors, thereby making it possible to obtain an appropriate room temperature.

[0088] In the embodiment, the control unit 3 is assumed to be the heat source, but if there is another heat source such as a back panel, the room temperature can be determined in the same manner as in the embodiment by determining the hottest part through thermal design, etc., and a part away from that part where a significant temperature difference can be obtained, and installing an internal temperature sensor 8 there.

[0089] Although an example of Fahrenheit has been shown in the embodiment, it has been confirmed that in the case of Celsius as well, even if the heat source temperature and internal temperature change between no wind and air blowing conditions, and even if the room temperature itself changes in no wind or air blowing conditions, by using the same influence coefficient (k) obtained through preliminary testing, the calculated temperature and the actual room temperature roughly match, and the room temperature can be measured appropriately. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] In the drawing, 1 indicates a controller, 2 indicates a housing, 3 indicates a control unit (heat source), 8 indicates an internal temperature sensor, 9 indicates a heat source temperature sensor, and 10 indicates an air conditioner.

Claims

1. A controller for an air conditioner that performs air conditioning based on room temperature, A housing and a heat source temperature sensor provided in the housing and configured to measure a temperature of a heat source that generates heat during operation as a heat source temperature; an internal temperature sensor provided within the housing and disposed at a position away from the heat source to measure a temperature inside the housing as an internal temperature; A controller for an air conditioning device comprising: a control unit that corrects the measured heat source temperature with a correction value that corrects deviations due to individual differences in the heat source, and calculates the room temperature based on the temperature difference between the corrected heat source temperature and the internal temperature.

2. The air conditioner controller according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines an amount of increase in internal temperature caused by the effect of heat generation from the heat source relative to room temperature, and determines the room temperature based on the amount of increase thus determined.

3. 3. The air conditioning device controller according to claim 1, wherein the control unit calculates the amount of rise in the internal temperature using an influence coefficient calculated in advance as a ratio between the temperature difference between the heat source temperature measured at a known room temperature and the room temperature, and the temperature difference between the internal temperature and the room temperature.

4. The air conditioner controller according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the air conditioner based on a room temperature determined using an amount of increase in an internal temperature within a range of a target temperature that can be set by the control unit itself.

5. A controller for an air conditioning device as described in claim 1, wherein the control unit corrects the heat source temperature using the difference between the internal temperature measured during a calibration period set immediately after power is turned on as the correction value.

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