Lidar-Based Airflow Sensing for Adaptive Air Conditioner Blowing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air conditioning devices fail to adequately control blowing air volume and direction, leading to insufficient user comfort due to the lack of wind direction measurement and control, and the use of remote sensors that may not accurately represent user location wind speeds.

Innovation Solution

An air conditioning device equipped with a lidar system for measuring wind direction and speed, allowing for real-time adjustment of blowing direction and volume to match local conditions, thereby improving user comfort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If wind speed is measured using a sensor unit in the remote controller, then the blowing air volume can be controlled, but the wind speed at the user position cannot be accurately measured when the user and remote controller are separated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewind speed measurement accuracyVSAvoiduser position adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an air flow sensor as an intermediary device installed in the air outlet to measure wind speed. This sensor acts as a mediator between the air conditioner system and the user, providing accurate wind speed data at the air outlet position regardless of where the user is located, thereby resolving the measurement accuracy issue while maintaining system adaptability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical sensor unit in the remote controller with an electronic air flow sensor integrated into the air conditioner's control system. This substitution eliminates the need for physical sensor placement in the remote controller and enables centralized wind speed measurement and control through electronic means, improving both measurement accuracy and user position adaptability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If wind direction measurement is not implemented, then the device complexity is reduced, but the blowing direction control cannot be optimized for user comfort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblowing direction controlVSAvoidmeasurement system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the air flow sensor multi-functional by enabling it to measure both wind speed and wind direction using the same sensor unit. This universal approach allows the system to optimize blowing direction control without adding separate measurement devices, thereby improving ease of operation while minimizing the increase in device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the measurement parameters of the air flow sensor to extract both speed and direction information from the same sensor data. By processing the sensor output to derive directional information alongside speed data, the system achieves enhanced blowing direction control without requiring additional hardware, thus balancing operational ease with system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system ensures appropriate blowing control based on measured wind direction and speed, enhancing user comfort by accurately adjusting blowing directions and volumes to suit the user's location within the space.

Implementation Method 1

a wind measurement processing unit configured to calculate a wind direction value indicating a wind direction using a value measured by a lidar

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLIDAR: LIDAR

Data Source

PatentEP3875866B1Air conditioner and control method
Publication Date: 2024.01.10 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP3875866B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3875866B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3875866B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An air conditioning device (200) includes: a wind measurement processing unit (51) calculating wind directions (Φ, Θ) using measured values by a wind measurement lidar (11); and a blowing control unit (52) controlling blowing directions (Φ', Θ') using measured wind direction values (ΦE, ΘL) calculated by the wind measurement processing unit (51).