Air-conditioner control method thereof

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air conditioner systems face challenges in wireless communication due to increased network scale, leading to high costs and calculation loads, making it difficult to apply complex routing schemes, which results in delayed signal processing and failure to rapidly handle signal blockages, affecting normal operation.

Innovation Solution

The system configures one unit as a master node and the others as slave nodes, with slave nodes storing information on parent and child nodes in a routing table, using unicast or broadcast schemes for data transmission based on node relationships, and implementing a simplified routing structure to reduce network traffic and load.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a complex routing scheme is applied to wireless communication in air conditioner systems, then signal transmission capability is improved, but calculation load and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal transmission capabilityVSAvoidcalculation load
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the routing function by dividing nodes into master nodes and slave nodes. Master nodes store complete routing tables while slave nodes store only simplified routing information (parent and child node addresses). This segmentation allows complex routing capabilities to be distributed, reducing the calculation load on individual slave nodes while maintaining overall system signal transmission capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the network scale is increased to accommodate more air conditioner units, then system coverage is improved, but communication cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem coverageVSAvoidcommunication cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables network expansion by segmenting routing functionality. As new units are added to the network, they can be configured as slave nodes with simplified routing tables, allowing the network to scale without proportionally increasing the complexity and cost for each node. The master nodes handle the complexity of managing the expanded network topology.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If wireless communication is used to allow distributed installation, then installation flexibility is improved, but signal processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation flexibilityVSAvoidsignal processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent reduces signal processing time by segmenting the routing information storage. Slave nodes store only essential routing information (parent and child node addresses) rather than complete routing tables, enabling faster local routing decisions. This segmentation allows wireless communication to maintain fast response times despite distributed installation across multiple locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Stability of the object's composition

If a tree structure with master, slave, and repeater nodes is implemented, then network organization is improved, but software complexity and storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork organizationVSAvoidsoftware complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent simplifies the tree structure implementation by segmenting the node types. Instead of implementing three distinct node types (master, slave, repeater) with different software configurations, the patent uses only master and slave nodes. Slave nodes store simplified routing information, eliminating the need for complex repeater software while maintaining stable network organization through the hierarchical master-slave relationship.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3379161B1Air-conditioner control method thereof
Publication Date: 2023.10.18 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3379161B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3379161B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3379161B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

Disclosed is an air conditioner. An air conditioner includes: a plurality of units including an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, and distributed at a plurality of layers; and a control unit configured to monitor and control the plurality of units, wherein the control unit and the plurality of units include a communication unit configured to transmit/receive data in a wireless communication scheme, respectively, one of the plurality of units is configured as a master node, and remaining units except for the unit configured as the master node are configured as slave nodes, respectively, so that the slave node stores information on an upper parent node and a lower child node in a routing table to transmit data. Since a plurality of units in the air conditioner transmit/receive data in a wireless communication scheme, direction communication between an indoor unit and an indoor unit and between the indoor unit and an outdoor unit may be performed regardless of an installation environment, and the indoor may directly communicate with the control unit without the outdoor unit. In order to transmit data in a wireless scheme, the plurality of units in the air conditioner are operated as one node during transferring the data, respectively, a plurality of nodes do not include a routing table and stores only information on a parent node and a child node which are directly connected so that a routing structure may be simplified. Although the air conditioner includes a plurality of units, it is easy to install the units and to configure a wireless network in the present invention. When the units perform functions of the node, load of each node is reduced. Network traffic of the air conditioner is reduced by minimizing unnecessary routing table so that the transmission efficiency is improved.