Control device for air conditioner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air-conditioning controllers face challenges in balancing power consumption reduction and comfort enhancement due to variations in indoor temperature reaching the target temperature, often resulting in excessive or insufficient preliminary operations.
Innovation Solution
An air-conditioning controller that adjusts the preliminary operation time based on a temperature width allowed by the user, using a temperature difference computation unit, representative time correction unit, and time-related computation unit to determine optimal preheating or precooling start times within an allowable temperature range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If preliminary operation control is performed to make indoor temperature reach target temperature at designated time, then comfortableness is improved, but power consumption increases due to excessive preliminary operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the preliminary operation time adjustable and adaptive. The control device dynamically adjusts the preliminary operation time based on detected indoor temperature changes and user-defined temperature width, transforming the fixed preliminary operation time into a flexible parameter that adapts to actual thermal conditions, thereby resolving the contradiction between comfort and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of preliminary operation time based on detected temperature variations. By monitoring indoor temperature changes and comparing them against user-defined temperature width, the system adjusts the preliminary operation duration parameter to match actual thermal response, preventing both excessive operation (wasting energy) and insufficient operation (reducing comfort).
2Ease of operation
If preliminary operation time is extended to ensure target temperature is reached, then comfortableness is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by continuously detecting indoor temperature changes during preliminary operation and using this information to adjust or terminate operation. The control device monitors temperature progression and compares it with user-defined temperature width, providing feedback that determines whether preliminary operation should continue or stop, thereby optimizing energy usage while ensuring comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by adjusting preliminary operation duration to match actual needs rather than using fixed extended operation. The system performs only the necessary amount of preliminary operation required to achieve comfortable temperature within user-defined width, avoiding excessive operation that would waste energy, thus resolving the contradiction between ensuring comfort and reducing energy loss.
3Use of energy by moving object
If general air conditioning control is performed with capacity reduction as temperature approaches target, then energy efficiency is improved, but temperature control precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing temperature adjustment before the designated time when air conditioning is needed. The control device calculates and executes preliminary operation that advances temperature change, so that when the air conditioner later operates under general control mode, the temperature is already closer to target, improving both energy efficiency and maintaining precision through the head start gained.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is an air-conditioning apparatus control module (201) configured to cause a preliminary operation in which an air-conditioning apparatus (101) is operated before a designated time to adjust a room temperature to be performed, including an operation time correction unit (1) configured to correct operation time of the air-conditioning apparatus (101). The operation time correction unit (1) is configured to compute preliminary operation time of the air-conditioning apparatus (101) depending on a first temperature difference between the room temperature and a target temperature; correct, when the air-conditioning apparatus (101) is in a cooling operation, next operation time based on a second temperature difference between the room temperature and a first temperature that is higher than the target temperature by a predetermined temperature at the designated time; and correct, when the air-conditioning apparatus (101) is in a heating operation, next operation time based on a third temperature difference between the room temperature and a second temperature that is lower than the target temperature by the predetermined temperature at the designated time.