Controller and air-conditioning system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioners face issues with temperature accuracy due to the large difference between the user's position and the remote sensor's position, leading to a significant error between the actual and target temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A controller that utilizes floor map information and user registration data to acquire and process temperature information from nearby sensor terminals, ensuring precise temperature control based on the user's location within the room.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If temperature detection is performed using a sensor attached to the remote controller, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to the large distance between the sensor and the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the temperature detection function into multiple segments by deploying several sensor terminals at different locations within the room. Instead of relying on a single remote-mounted sensor, the system uses multiple distributed sensors (e.g., ceiling-mounted or wall-mounted sensors) to capture temperature data from various zones, thereby improving measurement accuracy without significantly increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sensor terminals as intermediary devices that act as mediators between the user and the air conditioner. These sensor terminals are positioned closer to the user or at strategic locations in the room to accurately detect the user's thermal environment, and they transmit this data to the air conditioner for precise temperature control, thus resolving the distance-related measurement error.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensor terminals are deployed throughout the room, then the measurement precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor terminals are designed with multi-functionality, serving not only as temperature sensors but also as potential hubs for other environmental measurements (humidity, occupancy detection) and communication functions. This universal design reduces the need for separate dedicated devices, thereby improving measurement precision while controlling the increase in device complexity through functional consolidation.
3Ease of operation
If the air conditioner controls temperature based on remote sensor data, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of temperature control deteriorates due to positional error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where sensor terminals continuously monitor the actual temperature at or near the user's location and transmit this data back to the air conditioner. The air conditioner uses this real-time feedback to adjust its operation, ensuring that the temperature control remains reliable and accurate despite the user's movement or changing environmental conditions, while still allowing easy remote operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
A controller (4) includes: a floor-map-information storing unit (71) storing floor map information indicating a position of each sensor terminal in a room air-conditioned by an air conditioner; a user-registration-information storing unit (72) storing user registration information including first identification information indicating a user who may be in the room and positional information indicating a position occupied by the user when the user is in the room; a user information acquiring unit (63) acquiring, from a user terminal, user information including second identification information indicating the user using the user terminal and target temperature information; and an air-conditioning control unit (66) controlling, when the user using the user terminal is in the room, the air conditioner such that temperature detected by one of the sensor terminals at a position near the user in the room approaches target temperature indicated in the target temperature information based on floor map information, user registration information, and user information.