Air Conditioning Occupancy Control Using Detection Time Sums
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioning systems with multiple indoor units and motion detectors often falsely determine occupancy due to passing individuals, leading to unnecessary power consumption when the system resumes operation.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning system that includes a controller to suspend operation when the room is vacant, resumes based on a detection time period sum reaching a reference value, and features that stop indoor fans and compressors during suspension to reduce power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the air conditioning operation is resumed based on motion detector detection, then the room comfort is improved, but false determination causes wasteful power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by suspending the air conditioning operation when the room is vacant and only resuming when motion is detected. This preliminary suspension prevents wasteful power consumption during unoccupied periods while maintaining comfort when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses motion detectors to provide feedback about room occupancy status. This feedback mechanism allows the controller to automatically adjust the air conditioning operation, resuming only when motion is detected, thereby preventing false determination and reducing power consumption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple indoor units are controlled by a common system, then system coordination is improved, but false detection causes all units to consume power unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple indoor units into a common control system where all units share the same occupancy detection data. When motion is detected by any unit, the controller coordinates all units to resume operation together, improving system coordination while preventing wasteful consumption through centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The common controller serves multiple functions: it receives detection signals from multiple motion detectors, determines occupancy status, and controls multiple indoor units. This multi-functionality allows coordinated control that prevents false determination from causing wasteful power consumption across all units.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the air conditioning operation is suspended when vacant, then power consumption is reduced, but false suspension reduces comfort when needed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary suspension of air conditioning operation when the room is determined vacant, reducing power consumption. The motion detector then serves as a preliminary indicator to trigger resumption, ensuring comfort is restored when actually needed while maintaining energy efficiency during genuine unoccupied periods.
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
This solution effectively limits false determinations of occupancy, reducing wasteful power consumption and ensuring accurate operation resumption only when the room is actually in use.
Implementation Method 1
motion detectors (50) each provided to one of the indoor units (40), and configured to detect presence of a person in the room (10)
Data Source
AI summary
False determination in the presence or absence of a person in a in a room is limited. An air conditioner suspends an air conditioning operation if a room is vacant. If at least one of motion detectors, each provided to one of the indoor units, starts to detect the presence of a person during suspension of the air conditioning operation, an indoor controller of an indoor unit sums, for each of the motion detectors, time periods in which the presence of the person is detected to obtain a detection time period sum. If any one of detection time period sums, each for one of the motion detectors, reaches a reference value within a predetermined time period, the outdoor controller causes the air conditioner to resume the air conditioning operation.