Multi-Zone Air Conditioning Control Using Area-Specific Learning

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air conditioning systems struggle to uniformly control temperatures in a room, leading to energy wastage and discomfort, as they often require uniform cooling for the entire space, which may not be comfortable for all users and can result in local hot spots.

Innovation Solution

An air conditioning control system that includes an air conditioner, a setting unit, a control unit, and a learning unit, allowing for separate temperature settings for different areas within a room, using learning data such as wind direction, refrigerant, air volume, and area data to efficiently control temperatures in each zone, and can coordinate the operation of multiple user-side devices to optimize temperature control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If uniform temperature control is applied to the entire room, then temperature uniformity is improved, but energy consumption increases and local comfort deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature uniformityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The room is divided into multiple areas with different temperature control zones. The control unit separately controls the air conditioner to achieve different target temperatures for different areas, allowing localized temperature optimization without uniformly cooling the entire room, thus reducing energy consumption while maintaining temperature uniformity where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different areas within the room are assigned different target temperatures based on local requirements. The system allows users to set area-specific temperature preferences, enabling localized temperature customization that improves comfort in occupied zones while reducing energy consumption in unoccupied or less critical areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Stability of the object's composition

If uniform temperature control is applied to the entire room, then temperature uniformity is improved, but user comfort deteriorates due to individual preferences

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature uniformityVSAvoiduser comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables different users to set their preferred temperatures for their respective areas. The control unit processes these individual preferences and coordinates the air conditioner to satisfy multiple user requirements simultaneously, improving ease of operation and user comfort while maintaining adequate temperature uniformity through coordinated control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts temperature control based on real-time user preferences and occupancy patterns. By continuously adapting to changing user requirements and area-specific needs, the system maintains both temperature uniformity where required and individual comfort where users are present.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If multiple user-side devices operate independently, then device functionality is maintained, but energy consumption increases due to redundant operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice functionalityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple user-side devices are coordinated through a centralized control unit that manages their operations collectively. The control unit optimizes the operation of multiple devices working on the same refrigerant circuit, eliminating redundant operations and reducing energy consumption while maintaining the functionality and reliability of each individual device through coordinated control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Ease of operation

If air volumes of user-side devices are kept constant, then device operation is simplified, but temperature uniformity deteriorates and energy is wasted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation simplicityVSAvoidtemperature uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts air volumes of user-side devices based on real-time temperature measurements and area-specific requirements. The control unit modifies air volume settings to achieve optimal temperature uniformity across different areas, eliminating the need for constant high air volumes and reducing energy waste while maintaining operation simplicity through automated control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4006439B1Air conditioning control system
Publication Date: 2023.09.20 DAIKIN INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP4006439B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4006439B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4006439B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An object of the present invention is to provide a system that not only controls a temperature of an indoor space to be always uniform, but also controls a temperature of each area to be an optimum temperature in a case where air conditioning in a room is performed using an air conditioner (10), thereby providing a comfortable environment to a plurality of users and contributing to energy saving. An air conditioning control system (1) includes the air conditioner (10), a setting unit (70), a control unit (40), and a learning unit (50). The air conditioner (10) performs air conditioning in the room. The setting unit (70) sets a first temperature and a second temperature. The first temperature is a target temperature for a first area (S1) in the room. The second temperature is a target temperature for a second area (S2) in the room. The control unit (40) controls the air conditioner so that a temperature of the first area (S1) approaches the first temperature and a temperature of the second area (S2) approaches the second temperature. The learning unit (50) learns the control of the air conditioner (10) so that the temperature of the first area (S1) approaches the first temperature and the temperature of the second area (S2) approaches the second temperature.