Indoor Unit Data Storage for Air Conditioner Fault Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioners face issues in maintaining and analyzing operation data during maintenance and test runs, as this data is typically stored in remote controllers, leading to loss of information if the controller stops working or is replaced, hindering smooth analysis during system abnormalities.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner configuration where an indoor device with a nonvolatile storage unit, such as EEPROM, stores operation data during maintenance and test runs, allowing retrieval and analysis even if the remote controller is malfunctioning or replaced, by switching operation modes and storing data on the indoor device rather than the remote controller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If operation data is stored in the remote controller during maintenance and test runs, then the data can be easily accessed and displayed, but the data is lost if the remote controller stops working or is replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data storage function from the remote controller and relocates it to the indoor device. The remote controller continues to handle data display and user interaction, while the indoor device's storage unit preserves the operation data. This separation ensures data reliability while maintaining ease of access through the remote controller interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The indoor device acts as an intermediary between the remote controller and the data storage system. During maintenance and test runs, the indoor device receives operation data from the remote controller, stores it in its storage unit, and can provide it back when needed. This intermediary role protects data from remote controller failures while maintaining system accessibility.
2Quantity of substance
If operation data is stored in the remote controller, then the storage capacity is sufficient for maintenance data, but the data cannot be retrieved after remote controller replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The storage function is extracted from the remote controller and assigned to the indoor device's storage unit. This allows the system to maintain adequate storage capacity for maintenance and test run data while ensuring data persistence across remote controller replacements, as the indoor device remains a permanent part of the system.
3Device complexity
If the remote controller stores operation data, then the system structure remains simple, but analysis during system abnormalities cannot be conducted smoothly
Solution Approach 1:
The storage function is extracted from the remote controller and assigned to the indoor device. This simple structural change ensures that operation data is preserved during system abnormalities, enabling smooth analysis without complicating the overall system architecture. The remote controller maintains its simplicity for user interaction while the indoor device handles data preservation.
Data Source
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AI summary
An air conditioner includes an indoor device (1) that is controlled by a remote controller (3) and an outdoor device (5) that is connected to the indoor device (1). The outdoor device (5) is configured to include an outdoor-device state-quantity acquisition unit (a compressor-data acquisition unit (52) and a heat-exchanger-data acquisition unit (53)) that acquires an outdoor-device state quantity indicating a state quantity, acquired during maintenance and during a test run, of a component included in the outdoor device (5). The indoor device (1) is configured to include an indoor-device state-quantity acquisition unit (a heat-exchanger-data acquisition unit (11)) that acquires an indoor-device state quantity indicating a state quantity, acquired during maintenance and during a test run, of a component included in the indoor device (1), and a storage unit (2) that stores therein the outdoor-device state quantity and the indoor-device state quantity.