Control apparatus and air conditioning system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioner control systems are inconvenient as they require multiple operations to adjust the wind direction of multiple air conditioners, lacking ease-of-use and efficiency in collective wind direction control.
Innovation Solution
A control apparatus that includes a storage unit for arrangement and function information, a display unit for a layout screen, and an input unit for specifying a reach position of wind from multiple air outlets, allowing the controller to manage and adjust the wind direction and volume of multiple air conditioners with a single operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple air conditioners are controlled individually one at a time, then each air conditioner can be adjusted precisely, but the operation becomes complicated and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control of multiple air conditioners into a single collective operation. The controller receives one operation input that simultaneously adjusts the wind direction of multiple air conditioners based on their arrangement information, eliminating the need for individual sequential adjustments and significantly reducing operation time while maintaining precision through position-based control.
Solution Approach 2:
The control apparatus is designed with multi-functionality to handle both individual and collective control of air conditioners. The controller can process operations for single or multiple air conditioners universally, using the same interface and control logic, which simplifies the user experience while enabling efficient batch operations across the entire air conditioner system.
2Ease of operation
If multiple operations are required to adjust each air conditioner separately, then precise control is achieved, but operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple control operations into a single unified operation. By receiving one operation input that specifies a reach position, the controller simultaneously determines the wind direction for multiple air conditioners based on their arrangement information, thereby simplifying the user interface and reducing operational steps without increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control apparatus automatically determines which air conditioners to control and how to adjust them based on the received operation and stored arrangement information. The system self-services by autonomously calculating the appropriate wind directions for multiple units without requiring the user to manually configure each one, thus reducing operational complexity while maintaining precise control.
3Productivity
If collective control of multiple air conditioners is implemented, then operation efficiency improves, but control precision for individual units may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges collective control capabilities with individual precision by using arrangement information to differentiate between multiple air conditioners. The controller processes a single operation input but applies position-based logic to determine specific wind directions for each affected air conditioner, thereby achieving both operational efficiency and control precision simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system applies local quality by tailoring the wind direction control to each air conditioner's specific position and orientation. Even though the operation is collective, the controller adjusts the wind direction individually for each air conditioner based on its arrangement information, ensuring that each unit receives precisely appropriate control suited to its local context while maintaining overall operational efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A control apparatus controls at least one of a wind direction and a wind volume of a plurality of air conditioners provided with air outlets. The control apparatus includes: a storage unit that stores arrangement information indicating an arrangement of each air conditioner and function information indicating a function of each air conditioner; a display unit that displays a layout screen including the arrangement information; and an input unit that receives an operation specifying a reach position of wind blown out from two or more of the air outlets in association with the layout screen. The control apparatus also includes a controller that controls at least one of the wind direction and the wind volume of two or more of the air outlets based on the information indicating the reach position received by the input unit, the arrangement information, and the function information.