Air conditioner and method of controlling the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioning systems face challenges in accurately and efficiently determining how each indoor unit is connected to the control device, often requiring sequential operation and user-inputted connection state information, which complicates user convenience and operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner system with a control device that automatically determines the connection of multiple indoor units to the control device using indoor unit operation changers and branch ducts, allowing simultaneous operation and eliminating the need for user-inputted connection state information, thereby improving convenience and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If sequential operation of indoor units is used to determine connection states, then the determination process is simple to implement, but the time required for determination increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The determination process is segmented into multiple steps where different groups of indoor units are operated in different steps. In each step, a specific group of indoor units is operated simultaneously to determine connection states of multiple units in parallel, rather than operating one unit at a time sequentially.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs periodic determination operations where indoor units are operated in cycles. Each cycle operates a specific group of indoor units to determine connection states, and this is repeated across multiple steps until all connection states are determined. This periodic grouping approach enables parallel determination while maintaining systematic control.
2Ease of operation
If user-inputted connection state information is required, then the system can accurately reflect actual connections, but user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The air conditioner system automatically determines connection states of indoor units by itself without requiring user input. The control device operates indoor units according to predetermined groups and steps, detects their operation states, and autonomously determines connection states, making the system self-sufficient in gathering connection information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the operation states of indoor units to determine connection states. By detecting whether indoor units operate as expected when commanded, the system receives feedback about their connection status and uses this information to automatically determine which units are properly connected to the control device.
3Productivity
If multiple indoor units are operated simultaneously to determine connections, then determination speed increases, but system control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Indoor units are divided into predetermined groups, and control operations are segmented into multiple steps. Each step operates on a specific group of units simultaneously, managing complexity by controlling only a subset of units at each step rather than all units at once, while still achieving parallel determination within each group.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed herein are an air conditioner, a control device thereof, and a method of controlling the same. The air conditioner includes a control device including a plurality of indoor unit operation changers, and an indoor unit connected to any one of the plurality of indoor unit operation changers, wherein at least one of the indoor unit and the control device determines an operation mode of each of the plurality of indoor unit operation changers respectively connected to a plurality of indoor units, detects an indoor unit operation changer at an operation mode corresponding to an operation of any one of the plurality of indoor units among the plurality of indoor unit operation changers, and determines an indoor unit operation changer connected to the indoor unit among the plurality of indoor unit operation changers on based on a result of detecting at least one of the indoor unit operation changers.