Indoor AC Airflow Visualization With Thermal Room Status Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of air-conditioning apparatuses struggle to understand the indoor air-conditioning status when power consumption or electricity charge is high, leading to inefficient energy-saving measures and potential discomfort due to inadequate cooling or heating.
Innovation Solution
An indoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus equipped with an imaging device to capture room images, a thermal image detection device for temperature distribution, and a controller to generate and display air-conditioning status images, showing the flow of air and temperature distribution superimposed on visible images, allowing users to visualize the air-conditioning status over time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If power consumption or electricity charge is displayed to inform users about energy usage, then energy saving awareness is improved, but users cannot comprehend the air-conditioning status inside the room when the value is large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy (image) of the actual air-conditioning status inside the room and displays it on the remote control. This allows users to see the temperature distribution and air flow patterns without physically being in the room, providing information equivalent to direct observation but accessible remotely through the displayed image.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of the imaging device, thermal image detection device, and controller that translates the physical air-conditioning status into a visual representation. This intermediary process converts invisible thermal and fluid dynamics into visible images that can be transmitted to and displayed on the remote control.
2Loss of energy
If users increase or decrease set temperature to save energy, then energy consumption is reduced, but user comfort may be compromised due to insufficient cooling or heating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where users can observe the actual air-conditioning status through displayed images and adjust their behavior accordingly. When users see that the desired temperature distribution is achieved, they can maintain current settings; when not achieved, they can adjust settings to improve comfort without excessive energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows users to apply partial adjustments to temperature settings based on visual feedback rather than extreme changes. Users can make incremental adjustments to achieve optimal comfort-energy balance, avoiding both excessive cooling/heating and insufficient comfort.
3Area of stationary object
If air conditioning is applied to a wide area, then more areas are cooled or heated, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables users to identify specific areas within the room that require cooling or heating by viewing the displayed thermal images. Users can then adjust air flow direction and temperature settings to target specific zones rather than uniformly conditioning the entire room, achieving local quality control of the air-conditioning effect.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to understand the air-conditioning status within the room, facilitating energy-saving measures without compromising comfort by adjusting the air flow direction and temperature settings based on real-time visual feedback.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal image detection device configured to acquire a thermal image of the inside of the room
Implementation Method 2
a fan configured to suck indoor air from the air inlet and form an air path extending to the air outlet
Implementation Method 3
a heat exchanger installed in the air path and configured to partially perform a role of a refrigeration cycle
Data Source
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AI summary
[Object] To obtain an indoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus that is capable of displaying the air-conditioning status of inside a room. [Solution] An indoor unit 100 of an air-conditioning apparatus includes an indoor imaging device 50 that captures an image of inside a room 900, a thermal image detection device 60 that acquires a thermal image of inside the room 900, an arithmetic operation device 80 that acquires, by an arithmetic operation, an air flow inside the room 900 and that generates an air-conditioning status image, which is an image obtained by superimposing the air flow obtained by the arithmetic operation and the thermal image acquired by the thermal image detection device 60 on a visible image, which is the image captured by the indoor imaging device 50, and a storage device 90 that stores therein air-conditioning status images in accordance with the lapse of time. When a visualization button 221 arranged on a remote control 200 is pressed, air-conditioning status images are transmitted to the remote control 200, and the air-conditioning status images are displayed as time-reduced moving images on a display unit 240 of the remote control 200.