Control method and air conditioner

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air conditioner control technologies inadequately address abnormal weather conditions such as rain, snow, sand, and dust, leading to malfunctions and reduced reliability of outdoor units, which can accelerate aging and increase maintenance costs.

Innovation Solution

A control method that obtains real-time abnormal weather information to determine optimal operating parameters for the draught fan of the outdoor unit, allowing it to adjust its operation according to specific weather conditions, thereby reducing the adverse impact of weather on the unit and preventing failures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the outdoor unit only monitors outdoor environment temperature to adjust capacity, then the control system remains simple, but the protection measure against abnormal weather conditions is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection measure against abnormal weatherVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system obtains abnormal weather information in advance through weather information acquisition modules (including web crawlers and weather APIs) before the weather actually affects the outdoor unit. This allows the control system to prepare appropriate operating parameters preemptively, enhancing protection without requiring complex real-time decision-making infrastructure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control method segments different abnormal weather conditions (rain, snow, sand and dust, storm wind, hail) into distinct categories, each with predefined operating parameters. This segmentation allows the system to handle multiple weather types through a structured approach, balancing comprehensiveness with manageable complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the draught fan operates without weather-based parameter adjustment, then the operation remains simple, but the adverse impact of weather on the outdoor unit increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoutdoor unit reliability under abnormal weatherVSAvoidfan operation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The control system automatically obtains weather information, determines the current weather condition, selects appropriate operating parameters, and adjusts the draught fan without user intervention. The system serves itself by integrating weather information acquisition, condition judgment, and parameter adjustment into an autonomous control loop, maintaining ease of operation while enhancing reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operating parameters of the draught fan based on weather conditions, including rotation speed, operating cycle, and airflow direction. These parameter adjustments are automatically determined by the control system based on the obtained weather information, allowing the fan to adapt to different weather conditions without complex manual operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If real-time weather information is obtained and processed, then the control accuracy improves, but the information processing time and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweather information accuracyVSAvoidinformation processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary judgment of weather conditions by comparing obtained weather information against predefined weather condition criteria. This preliminary assessment quickly identifies the current weather category, allowing the system to proceed directly to parameter selection without extensive analysis, thus reducing processing time while maintaining accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses predefined operating parameter sets for different weather conditions, essentially copying proven effective parameters from historical data or design specifications. Instead of calculating optimal parameters in real-time, the system selects from pre-established parameter templates, significantly reducing computation time while maintaining control accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP3904779B1Control method and air conditioner
Publication Date: 2024.08.14 GD MIDEA HEATING & VENTILATING EQUIP CO LTD
  • EP3904779B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3904779B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3904779B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A control method, an air conditioner, and a computer readable storage medium. The control method is used for the air conditioner, and comprises: obtaining abnormal weather information of a region where the air conditioner is located; determining operating parameters of a draught fan of an outdoor unit in the air conditioner according to the abnormal weather information; and controlling the draught fan of the outdoor unit to operate according to the operating parameters.