Wireless Unit Grouping in Air Conditioners to Prevent Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioner systems face challenges in establishing initial wireless communication between indoor and outdoor units, requiring manual setup and being prone to errors, which can lead to malfunction or interference between units.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioner employs a method where outdoor units transmit an address setting signal using a basic channel, identify connected indoor units based on temperature changes, allocate new channels, and establish groups to prevent interference, allowing units to communicate directly and efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If wireless communication is used between control device and indoor/outdoor units, then communication setup time is reduced and manual configuration is eliminated, but initial communication establishment becomes complex and error-prone without proper grouping
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary grouping of indoor and outdoor units based on refrigerant pipe connections before wireless communication is established. This preliminary organization allows units to be pre-configured in groups, so when wireless communication is initiated, the devices already know which units belong together, eliminating the need for complex manual pairing procedures and reducing setup time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a control device that acts as an intermediary to manage wireless communication between indoor and outdoor units. The control device coordinates the communication establishment process, automatically matching units based on their group relationships, thereby simplifying the overall system complexity while enabling efficient wireless communication.
2Reliability
If manual wireless communication setting is performed, then communication can be established, but the process requires great amount of time and is prone to technician errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic self-service communication establishment by having indoor and outdoor units automatically identify and pair with each other based on pre-established group relationships. Units transmit their identification information wirelessly and automatically connect with matching units, eliminating the need for technician intervention and manual configuration, thereby reducing setup time while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where units transmit their identification and group information wirelessly, receive responses from potential matching units, and automatically confirm or adjust connections based on the feedback received. This automated feedback loop ensures reliable communication establishment without manual intervention.
3Reliability
If wired communication line is used between units, then communication can be established, but establishing initial communication takes long time and wrong connection causes malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wired communication system with a wireless communication system. Indoor and outdoor units use wireless signals to exchange identification and group information, eliminating the need for physical connection establishment. This substitution maintains reliable communication while dramatically reducing the time required for initial connection and eliminating errors caused by wrong wired connections.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If groups are not properly established, then wireless communication may interfere between different units, but establishing groups manually increases complexity and time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary grouping of units based on their physical refrigerant pipe connections before wireless communication is established. This preliminary organization ensures that each indoor unit is pre-assigned to the correct outdoor unit group, preventing communication interference between unrelated units while eliminating the need for complex manual grouping procedures.
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
This approach reduces the time and complexity of wireless communication setup, ensures accurate grouping, and prevents unit malfunctions by using distinct channels for each group, enhancing communication accuracy and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
outdoor units transmit an address setting signal to a plurality of indoor units in a wireless communication method
Implementation Method 2
identify connected indoor units based on temperature changes
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an air conditioner and a control method thereof, the air conditioner where a plurality of units is connected wirelessly to receive and transmit data with each other, and the control method in which an address is set in a wireless communication method using an initially set basic channel, a group is set in response to a response signal, and communication is performed with an indoor unit belonging into the same group through a new channel. Accordingly, the plurality of units in the air conditioner is able to receive and transmit data with each other wirelessly, and a group is set with respect to multiple units so that the multiple units are able to communicate with each other directly. Additionally, because a group is able to be easily set with respected to units connected via a pipe by setting a channel, it is possible to reduce a time for setting wireless communication and make the communication setting accurate. The present disclosure allows units to communicate using a different channel according to which group each unit belongs to, thereby preventing intervention between groups and malfunction of units.