Air Conditioner Outlet Segmentation for Area-Specific Airflow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioning systems lack the ability to efficiently control airflow direction and temperature distribution in indoor spaces, particularly in areas where users do not frequently occupy, leading to unnecessary air control and discomfort.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner with a controller that uses image data from a camera to differentiate between living and non-living areas and adjusts wind adjusters to direct airflow differently, incorporating temperature sensors to optimize airflow based on temperature ranges and user preferences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If wind adjusters in all outlets are identically controlled to achieve uniform airflow distribution, then temperature uniformity across the indoor space is improved, but unnecessary air control is performed in areas where users do not live, leading to energy waste and reduced comfort in living areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the indoor space into multiple areas (e.g., living area and non-living area) and controls wind adjusters in different outlets independently based on area-specific characteristics. This segmentation allows targeted airflow control to living areas while reducing or stopping airflow to non-living areas, eliminating energy waste from unnecessary air conditioning in unoccupied spaces while maintaining temperature uniformity where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different control strategies to different outlets based on their corresponding areas. Wind adjusters in outlets facing living areas are actively controlled to provide comfortable airflow and temperature, while wind adjusters in outlets facing non-living areas are controlled differently (reduced or stopped). This local differentiation optimizes energy usage by focusing conditioning efforts only where users are present.
2Ease of operation
If wind adjusters are controlled to direct airflow to specific areas, then comfort in living areas is improved, but temperature uniformity across the entire indoor space may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the control of different outlets, the system can direct airflow preferentially to living areas for enhanced comfort while using outlets facing non-living areas to provide supplementary airflow that maintains overall temperature uniformity. This segmented approach allows simultaneous optimization of both comfort and temperature distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adjusts operational parameters (wind adjuster positions, airflow rates) of different outlets based on area requirements. Living area outlets use parameters optimized for comfort (higher airflow, specific directions), while non-living area outlets use parameters optimized for temperature distribution (lower airflow, different directions), achieving both goals through parameter differentiation.
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioner and a method for controlling an air conditioner are provided. The air conditioner may include a case that forms a space therein with an open lower side; a panel that is disposed at lower side of the case, and has an inlet and a plurality of outlets disposed around the inlet; a fan that is disposed in the case; a plurality of wind adjuster that is disposed in each of the plurality of outlets, and adjusts a direction of air flowing through each of the plurality of outlets; a camera that obtains an image of an indoor space; and a controller that controls the plurality of wind adjusters based on image information obtained from the camera. The controller may divide the plurality of outlets into a first area outlet and a second area outlet, and adjust each of the plurality of wind adjusters so that airflows of air discharged through the first area outlet and airflows of air discharged through the second area outlet are formed differently.