Temperature control method and apparatus

• US 10,436,467 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2015
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Dong Seop, Seo, Sungmok, Song, Kwanwoo, Cho, Hyejung
• Primary Examiner(s): Wathen, Brian W
• Assistant Examiner(s): McMenemy, Brian T
• Application Number:
  US14/833,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20160054021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/66 Sleep mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/00 Control inputs relating to environmental factors not covered by group F24F2110/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/10 Weather information or forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for controlling a temperature based on scheduling of an indoor temperature are provided. The apparatus obtains set temperature history information of an air handling unit from previously stored information. The set temperature history information is mapped to weather factor history information about at least one weather factor. The apparatus also obtains weather factor information regarding a scheduling target time. Based on the obtained set temperature history information and the obtained weather factor information, the apparatus schedules a set temperature of the air handling unit with regard to the scheduling target time. The present disclosure relates to a sensor network, Machine Type Communication (MTC), Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication, and technology for Internet of Things (IoT) and may be applied to intelligent services based on the above technologies, such as smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car, connected car, healthcare, digital education, smart retail, and security services.

Claims

1. A temperature control method comprising:

identifying set temperature history information of an air handling device, the set temperature history information including at least one first set temperature, at least one first weather information, and at least one first range information for adjusting a set temperature, each of the at least one first set temperature corresponding to each of the at least one first weather information;

identifying second weather information in a current time;

determining a second set temperature, of the air handling device, corresponding to the second weather information from the at least one first set temperature;

adjusting the second set temperature based on second range information corresponding to the second set temperature from the at least one first range information; and

controlling the air handling device based on the adjusted second set temperature,

wherein the adjusting of the second set temperature comprises;

adjusting, in case that an indoor temperature is greater than an average value of the second set temperature per a time, the second set temperature by adding the second range information to the average value, and

adjusting, in case that the indoor temperature is less than the average value, the second set temperature by subtracting the second range information from the average value, and

wherein a first set temperature is determined based on temperatures set by a user for the same weather information among the at least one first weather information.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the set temperature history is determined based on information associated with indoor equipment, and

wherein each of the first weather information and the second weather information includes at least one of temperature information, humidity information, sunshine information, radiant heat information, airflow information, or wind speed information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the set temperature history information comprises:

receiving a time duration for identifying the at least one first set temperature; and

identifying the at least one first set temperature based on the at least one first weather information during the time duration.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the set temperature history information comprises:

receiving mode setting information; and

identifying the set temperature history information based on the received mode setting information.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the controlling of the air handling device comprises:

identifying second weather information per time from a server;

determining a second set temperature per time corresponding to the second weather information per time; and

controlling the air handling device based on the second set temperature per time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining of the second set temperature per time comprises determining the second set temperature per time based on a predetermined weight of each second weather information per time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining equipment setting history information corresponding to the at least one first weather information; and

scheduling equipment setting, based on the equipment setting history information and the second weather information.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

adjusting the second set temperature of the air handling device, based on the scheduled equipment setting.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a presence or absence of users in a specific space; and

switching, when the users are absent in the specific space, the air handling device to a predefined mode.

10. A temperature control apparatus comprising:

a transceiver; and

at least one processor configured to;

identify set temperature history information of an air handling device, the set temperature history information including at least one first set temperature, at least one first weather information, and at least one first range information for adjusting a set temperature, each of the at least one first set temperature corresponding to each of the at least one first weather information,

identify second weather information in a current time,

determine a second set temperature, of the air handling device, corresponding to the second weather information from the at least one first set temperature,

adjust the second set temperature based on second range information corresponding to the second set temperature from the at least one first range information,

control the air handling device based on the adjusted second set temperature,

adjust, in case that an indoor temperature is greater than an average value of the second set temperature per a time, the second set temperature by adding the second range information to the average value, and

adjust, in case that the indoor temperature is less than the average value, the second set temperature by subtracting the second range information from the average value,

wherein a first set temperature is determined based on temperatures set by a user for the same weather information among the at least one first weather information.

11. The apparatus of claim 10,

wherein the set temperature history is determined based on information associated with indoor equipment, and

wherein each of the first weather information and the second weather information includes at least one of temperature information, humidity information, sunshine information, radiant heat information, airflow information, or wind speed information.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a time duration for identifying the at least one first set temperature, and

identify the at least one first set temperature based on the at least one first weather information during the time duration.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive mode setting information, and

identify the set temperature history information based on the received mode setting information.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

identify second weather information per time from a server,

determine a second set temperature per time corresponding to the second weather information per time, and

control the air handling device based on the second set temperature per time.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the second set temperature per time based on a predetermined weight of each second weather information per time.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

obtain equipment setting history information corresponding to the at least one first weather information, and

schedule equipment setting, based on the equipment setting history information and the second weather information.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to adjust the second set temperature of the air handling device, based on the scheduled equipment setting.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine a presence or absence of users in a specific space, and

switch, when the users are absent in the specific space, the air handling device to a predefined mode.