An on-demand air conditioner system

Abstract

An on-demand air conditioner control system, which relies on a thermal sensor to locate user in the room and on a stepping motor to control the precise rotation, wherein the thermal sensor projects infrared radiation in conical shape and detect the user's temperature in the room, and then transmits the data via the internet signal to a house router and a server software, wherein the server software and a mobile device will transmit the data back to the house router via internet signal and transmit it back to the air conditioner. The mobile device has an application that activates the system with the heat map displayed on the application. The user can select their desired modes for ventilation on the application, and the mobile device will transmit the selection mode back to the processing unit and further send the data to the stepping motor to control the precise rotation of the ventilation in order to set the angle of the vertical and horizontal flaps, making it more precise to control the temperature in the areas of use or the desired areas, not to mention power saving.

Description

[0001] AN ON-DEMAND AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003] Engineering in relation to the on-demand air conditioner system.

[0004] Background of the Invention

[0005] An air conditioner is a type of electrical appliance used for cooling the air around the users to make the user feel more comfortable and relaxing. The air conditioner has a thermal sensor to measure a room temperature and transmit data to an air conditioner control system for controlling the operation of the air conditioner to a predetermined temperature.

[0006] A heat map displayed on a mobile device uses data from a temperature sensor in the air conditioner, allowing the user to know how the room temperature is. The sensor within the air conditioner will measure the room temperature, and the data of which will be transmitted to the user’s mobile device to visualize the heat map. The heat map displayed on the mobile device will visualize the room temperature in the form of colour. The darker color represents the higher temperature and the lighter colour represents the lower temperature. The user can use this heat map to adjust the operation of the air conditioner in accordance with the user preferences, whether it be the direction of airflow or the level of temperature.

[0007] The development of the on-demand air conditioner system creates new modes of operation, including an Active Detection Mode, a High-motion Mode, a Direct Airflow Mode, an Indirect Airflow Mode, and an On-Demand Airflow Mode, allowing the user to control the direction of airflow in different modes.

[0008] Therefore, the creation of these new modes of operation requires the thermal sensor to detect a body temperature, heat objects, and surrounding environment in order to locate the user’s position and simulate the heat map for visualizing on the mobile device.

[0009] By conducting a patentability search on Thai patent database and global patent database, the examples of inventions which are relating to the on-demand air conditioner control are as follows.

[0010] Korean patent number KR1020190004849 A, title of invention “A Portable type air conditioning apparatus” has disclosed the portable type of air conditioning apparatus that is capable of wirelessly connect to a smartphone and controlling through an application. An application contained a Security and Monitoring Function through a built-in camera and infrared sensor to detect a person or object. Air-conditioning function to control an air temperature (both heater and cooler), fan level and airflow direction which is function can be both manually and automatically control. Air quality measuring function that is capable of measuring temperature, humidity, density of carbon dioxide and amount of dust in the air. Lightning Function which is a function for controlling the brightness of the light that installed on an air-conditioner. Function for calling air-conditioner to move toward user and Voice command function. Moreover, this application also displays the remaining energy level of the air conditioner.

[0011] Japanese patent number JP2978374B2, title of invention “An image processing device, image processing method, and control device for an air conditioner” has disclosed a system and method to process a thermal image for air-conditioner, by using a thermal image from infrared sensor to process by diving into various small-area (as image below). The processing unit can detect the user position, number of user, user actions, user wearing clothes, user body temperature and surrounding environment temperature which a user can control the airflow direction through remote-control. Moreover, the processing unit can calculate for a suitable airflow direction and airspeed, and it is also able to automatically turn on or off when not detecting any user in the area. Therefore, this system and method can facilitate saving more energy and increasing convenience for the user.

[0012] Japanese patent number JP2023016072A, title of invention “An air conditioner” has disclosed an air-conditioner which comprises an infrared sensor to detect the user. The infrared sensor will transmitting the 2 Dimension (2D) thermal images to the infrared radiation processing unit to identify user and user position, addressing user number and activities, then processing to locate the destination of air-conditioner operation. After that, the system will be instructing a control unit to suitably operate by based on user comfort as main priority.

[0013] According to the prior art, there were several applications claiming an idea and process of an air-conditioner for a similar purpose of this invention by using infrared sensor to detect user and surrounding environment in order to process for locating user’s position, tracking user’s movements and activities to make proper adjustment of an operation of the air-conditioner or automatically turn off the air-conditioner and also wirelessly control the air-conditioner by an electronic devices via Wi-Fi signal.

[0014] However, the on-demand air conditioner control system has its function to select the direction of the ventilation airflow through the heat map as desired by the user by setting a vertical and horizontal flap and the heat map will be displayed in an application of the mobile device while the user is capable of selecting the airflow direction in 5 modes, including an Active Detection Mode, a High-motion Mode, a Direct Airflow Mode, an Indirect Airflow Mode, and an On-Demand Airflow Mode, according to the user preferences, and also provides the heat map that sorts in vertical and horizontal area. After that, the mobile device will transmit the selected data back to the processing unit and then transmit the data to a stepping motor to determine the desired rotation area of an airflow control unit.

[0015] Summary of the Invention

[0016] This invention relates to the on-demand air conditioner control system, which relies on heat detection via the thermal sensor, then transmitting the data though the internet to the house router. After that, the data will be transmitted to a server software, wherein the server software and the mobile device will transmit the data back to the house router via the internet signal and transmit it back to the air conditioner. The mobile device has an application to activate the system with the heat map displayed on the application. The user can select their desired modes for ventilation airflow on the application including the Active Detection Mode, High-motion Mode, Direct Airflow Mode, Indirect Airflow Mode, and On-Demand Airflow Mode, according to the user preferences. After that, the mobile device will transmit the data that the user has selected back to the processing unit, then transmitting the data to the stepping motor to determine the desired rotational area of the airflow control unit.

[0017] This invention is intended to control the ventilation airflow to the desired position that displayed on the heat map, making it more precise to control the temperature in the areas of use or the desired areas, not to mention power saving.

[0018] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] Figure 1 represents an operation flow chart of the on-demand air conditioner control system in this embodiment.

[0020] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0021] Figure 1 represents the operation flow chart of the on-demand air conditioner control system, which at least comprises an air conditioner 1, a house router 2, an internet signal 3, a server software 4, and a mobile device 5.

[0022] The air conditioner 1 comprises a thermal sensor 6 and a stepping motor 7. The thermal sensor 6 will detect the user’s position in the room in collaboration with the stepping motor 7 to determine the desired rotation area. Therefore, the thermal sensor 6 and the stepping motor 7 will move to the desired position. The thermal sensor will project infrared radiation in conical shape. The thermal sensor 6 is angled at 0 - 150 degrees and is provided to detect the user’s temperature in the room at 5 - 35 degrees Celsius. After that, a processing unit 14 will receive the data transmitted from the air conditioner 1 to process and store a thermal sensor data 6. Then, the processing unit 14 will transmit the thermal sensor data 6 to the house router 2 to allow a connection between the router installed on the air conditioner 6 and the house router 2 to allow the operation via the internet signal 3.

[0023] The internet signal 3 will transmit the data to the server software 4, wherein the server software 4 and the mobile device 5 will transmit the data back to the house router 2 via the internet signal 3 and transmit it back to the air conditioner 1. The mobile device 5 has an application to activate the system with the heat map displayed on the application. The user can select their desired modes for ventilation airflow on the application including the Active Detection Mode 8, the High- motion mode 9, the direct airflow mode 10, the indirect airflow mode 11 and the on-demand airflow mode 12, according to the user preferences, and also provides the heat map 13 that sorts in vertical and horizontal area. After that, the mobile device 5 will transmit the selected data back to the processing unit 14 and then transmit the data to the stepping motor 7 to determine the desired rotation area. The airflow control unit 15 is also provided vertically and horizontally.

[0024] Regarding the active detection mode 8, when sending instruction through the mobile device 5 and not detecting any unusual activity of the thermal sensor 6, the system will start generating the heat map 13 when any user in the room is not detected. The system will activate a first power- saving mode to keep the room temperature at the predetermined level by either increasing the room temperature level by 0.5 degrees Celsius or decreasing the room temperature by 0.5 degrees Celsius. Once the first power-saving mode has been operated for 4 hours, the system will activate a second power-saving mode and adjust the compressor's operating frequency to the low level for power saving.

[0025] Regarding the high-motion mode 9, when sending instruction through the mobile device 5 and not detecting any unusual activity of the thermal sensor 6, the system will start generating the heat map 13 and compare the user’ s location in the room with the heat map 13 to analyse the user’s movement. When the user moves to another location, the system will start a timer for 10 - 25 minutes and then record the data for 5 - 20 minutes. Once the predetermined time is met, the counting will be reset.

[0026] Regarding the direct airflow mode 10, when sending instruction through the mobile device 5 and not detecting any unusual activity of the thermal sensor 6, the system will start generating the heat map 13 and detecting the user’ s temperature in the room. The horizontal flaps will measure the fixed angle and the vertical flaps will measure the angle for direct airflow, and that is equal to the angle of the thermal sensor 6, which is provided from 0 - 150 degrees. Regarding the indirect airflow mode 11, when sending instruction through the mobile device 5 and not detecting any unusual activity of the thermal sensor 6, the system will start generating the heat map 13 and detecting the user’s temperature in the room. The horizontal flaps will measure the fixed angle and the vertical flaps will measure the angle for indirect airflow, and that is equal to the angle of the thermal sensor 6, which is provided from 0 - 150 degrees.

[0027] Regarding the on-demand airflow mode 12, when sending instruction through the mobile device 5 and not detecting any unusual activity of the thermal sensor 6, the system will start generating the heat map 13 and detecting the user’s temperature in the room. The horizontal flaps will measure a fixed angle and the vertical flaps will measure the angle for on-demand airflow, and that is equal to the angle of the thermal sensor 6, which is provided from 0 - 150 degrees.

[0028] The airflow control unit 15 is provided with vertical and horizontal flaps. The horizontal flaps are divided into 3 parts, including a high-position flap, a middle-position flap, and a low- position flap. The position of the horizontal flaps corresponds to the horizontal areas displayed on the heat map 13 on the mobile device 5.

[0029] The vertical flaps are divided into 2 parts, including the front flap and the rear flap, which allows 5 directions of airflow. The direction of airflow corresponds to the vertical areas displayed on the heat map on the mobile device 5.

[0030] However, any changes related to this invention can be clearly understood and conducted by a person who is skilled in art under the scope and purpose of this invention as disclosed in this attached claim.

[0031] Best Mode of the Invention

[0032] As disclosed under the Detailed Description of the Invention

Claims

Claims1. An on-demand air conditioner control system, comprising an air conditioner, a house router, the internet, a server software, and a mobile device, characterized in that the air conditioner comprising a thermal sensor and a stepping motor, wherein the thermal sensor detects the user’s position in the room at the same time when the stepping motor determines the desired rotation area. The thermal sensor and the stepping motor will move to the designated area to detect the user’s temperature in the room, and then the processing unit will receive the data from the air conditioner to process and store the readings from the thermal sensor. The processing unit will transmit the data from the thermal sensor to the house router and makes connection between the router installed with the air conditioner to the house router via the internet signal.The internet signal transmits the data to server software, wherein the server software and the mobile device will transmit the data back to the house router via the internet signal and transmit the data back to the air conditioner. The mobile device has an application to activate the system, which is the heat map displayed on the application on the mobile device. The user can select the direction of airflow that comes with several modes, including a High-motion Mode, a Direct Airflow Mode, an Indirect Airflow Mode, and an On-Demand airflow Mode, along with the heat map in vertical and horizontal areas, then the mobile device will transmit the ventilation selection back to the processing unit and transmit the data to the stepping motor to set the airflow control unit.

2. The on-demand air conditioner control system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device is preferably selected from smartphone or tablets.

3. The on-demand air conditioner control system according to claim 1, wherein the thermal sensor will radiate the infrared in cone shaped areas and wherein the thermal sensor is angled from 0 - 150 degrees.

4. The on-demand air conditioner control system according to claim 1, wherein the thermal sensor detects the temperatures of user from 5 - 35 degrees Celsius.

5. The on-demand air conditioner control system according to claim 1, wherein the airflow control unit creates the vertical and horizontal flaps.

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