Apparatus and method for controlling sleep mode of airconditioner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air-conditioners' sleep mode does not adequately consider individual sleep stages, leading to discomfort for users who dislike warm environments, as they uniformly increase indoor temperature, which may not be suitable for all sleep stages.
Innovation Solution
An air-conditioner controller that maintains specific temperatures during different sleep stages (sleep-entrance, deep-sleep, and wake-up) and adjusts temperature ranges and fan operations to provide optimal cooling and energy efficiency, allowing for customizable sleep mode operations based on user preferences and sleep duration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the air-conditioner uniformly increases indoor temperature during sleep mode, then energy efficiency is improved, but user comfort deteriorates for those who dislike warm environments
Solution Approach 1:
The sleep mode operation is segmented into three distinct stages (sleep-entrance, deep-sleep, and wake-up stages), each with specific temperature control strategies. This segmentation allows the system to apply different temperature control approaches for different periods, rather than using a uniform temperature increase throughout the entire sleep mode operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The air-conditioner dynamically adjusts temperature control based on the current sleep stage. During the sleep-entrance stage, temperature is reduced to provide cooling; during the deep-sleep stage, temperature is maintained or slightly increased; during the wake-up stage, temperature is increased to prepare for waking. This dynamic adjustment optimizes both comfort and energy efficiency according to actual needs.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the air-conditioner reduces room temperature during sleep-entrance stage, then user comfort is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air-conditioner performs preliminary cooling during the sleep-entrance stage to reduce room temperature before the user falls into deep sleep. This preliminary action ensures user comfort during the critical transition period, and the cooling effect persists into the deep-sleep stage, reducing the need for continued high-energy cooling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies periodic temperature control actions corresponding to different sleep stages. High-energy cooling is applied periodically only during the sleep-entrance stage when it is most needed, while the deep-sleep stage uses lower energy consumption by maintaining or slightly increasing temperature, thus optimizing overall energy usage.
3Loss of energy
If the air-conditioner increases room temperature during deep-sleep stage, then energy efficiency is improved, but user comfort may deteriorate if temperature rises too much
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes temperature parameters according to the sleep stage. During the deep-sleep stage, the temperature parameter is set to be maintained or slightly increased from the sleep-entrance stage level, but not raised excessively. This parameter adjustment balances energy efficiency (by reducing cooling load) with user comfort (by avoiding excessive warmth).
4Speed
If the air-conditioner provides rapid cooling mode, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases due to variable capacity compressor and fan control
Solution Approach 1:
The variable capacity compressor and fan control system serve multiple functions: they enable both rapid cooling mode for quick temperature reduction and sleep mode with staged temperature control. This multi-functionality justifies the increased device complexity by providing versatile temperature control capabilities across different operating modes and stages.
Data Source
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AI summary
An air-conditioner and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The apparatus and method for controlling the sleep mode of the air-conditioner provides an optimum air-conditioning effect suitable for individual sleep stages in consideration of temperature characteristics of the sleep stages of a sleeping human being, such that it can provide the sleeping human being with an optimum sleep mode. The apparatus includes a room temperature sensor for detecting a room temperature; and a controller for controlling the sleep mode when the sleep mode begins, such that it executes a sleep-entrance stage for a rapid cooling mode during which the room temperature is quickly reduced to a first temperature less than a setup temperature, executes a deep-sleep stage for gradually increasing the room temperature to a second temperature higher than the setup temperature, and executes a wake-up stage for increasing the room temperature to a third temperature higher than the second temperature.