Control method and apparatus for air-conditioner

• US 5,224,353 A
• Filed: 06/30/1992
• Issued: 07/06/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagasawa, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US07/906,368
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 236/51, 62/229, 62/228.4, 62/209
• US Class Current: 62/209
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/00 Control or safety arrangements
• 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 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/86 by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/021 Inverters therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A detected temperature T_m of the atmosphere of a remote controller is read in at a predetermined detection time interval. When a difference between a present or new detected temperature T_m and a last or old detected temperature T_m(old) is above a predetermined value, a first correction value corresponding to the temperature difference (T_s -T_m) is added to a set temperature T_s set in advance to thereby determine a set temperature T_sc. On the other hand, when a difference between a present or new detected temperature T_m and a last or old detected temperature T_m(old) is less than the predetermined value, a second correction value corresponding to the temperature difference (T_s -T_m) is added to the last or old set temperature T_sc(old) to thereby determine a corrected set temperature T_sc, thus to operate a compressor motor in dependency upon a difference between the corrected set temperature T_sc and a detected temperature of a suction or inlet air.

Claims

1. A control method for an air-conditioner, comprising:

a first step of reading in, at a predetermined detection time interval, a detected temperature T_m of the atmosphere near a remote controller;

a second step of adding, when a difference between a present or new detected temperature T_m and a last or old detected temperature T_m(old) is more than a predetermined value, a first correction value corresponding to a temperature difference (T_s -T_m) to a set temperature T_s set in advance to thereby obtain a corrected set temperature T_sc, and of adding, when a difference between a present or new detected temperature T_m and a last or old detected temperature T_m(old) is less than said predetermined value, a second correction value corresponding to a temperature difference (T_s -T_m) to a last or old set temperature T_sc(old) to thereby obtain a corrected set temperature T_sc ; and

a third step of operating a compressor in dependency upon a difference between said corrected set temperature T_sc and a detected temperature T_a of a suction or inlet air.

2. A control method as set forth in claim 1, wherein when a difference between a present or new detected temperature T_m and a last or old detected temperature T_m(old) is more than a predetermined value at said second step, said detected temperature T_m is updated every said detection time interval, while when a difference between a present or new detected temperature T_m and a last or old detected temperature T_m(old) is less than said predetermined value, said detected temperature T_m is updated after a timer set time longer than said detection time interval has passed.

3. A control method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said detection time interval at said second step is 10 to 20 seconds, preferably 15 seconds, and said timer set time is 5 to 20 minutes, preferably 10 minutes.

4. A control method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first and second correction values at said second step are obtained by multiplying said temperature difference (T_s -T_m) by first and second coefficients smaller than 1, respectively.

5. A control method as set forth in claim 4, wherein said first coefficient is 1/(1.5 to 4.0), preferably 1/2, and said second coefficient is 1/(1.5 to 4.0), preferably 1/4.

6. A control method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said predetermined value relating to a difference between a present or new detected temperature T_m and a last or old detected temperature T_m(old) at said second step is 1.5°

to 2.5°

C., especially 2°

C.

7. A control apparatus for an air-conditioner comprising a remote controller and a main controller,

said remote controller including:

temperature setting means for setting a set temperature T_s,

temperature detection means for detecting an ambient temperature to output a detected temperature T_m signal,

mode selector means for selecting an operation mode to attach importance to the ambient temperature of said remote controller or an operation mode to attach importance to the ambient temperature of said main controller, and

transmission means for transmitting, to said main controller, at a predetermined detection time interval, signals of the set temperature T_s by said temperature setting means, the detected temperature T_m from said temperature detection means, and an operation mode selected by said mode selector means,

said main controller including;

receiving means adapted to receive the set temperature T_s signal, the detected temperature T_m signal, and the operation mode signal transmitted from said remote controller,

temperature detection means for detecting temperature of a suction or inlet air from the interior of a room to output a detected temperature T_a signal, and

frequency command determination means adapted for reading in said detected temperature T_m signal at a predetermined time interval wherein when a difference between a present or new detected temperature T_m and a last or old detected temperature T_m(old) is more than a predetermined value, said frequency command determination means adds a first correction value corresponding to a temperature difference (T_s -T_m) to said set temperature T_s to thereby obtain a corrected set temperature T_sc, while when a difference between a present or new detected temperature T_m and a last or old detected temperature T_m(old) is less than said predetermined value, said frequency command determination means adds a second correction value corresponding to the temperature difference (T_s -T_m) to the last or old set temperature T_sc(old) to thereby obtain a corrected set temperature T_sc, thus to determine an Operation frequency f of a compressor in dependency upon a difference between said corrected set temperature T_sc and the detected temperature T_a of a suction or inlet air.

8. A control apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said frequency command determination means updates the detected temperature T_m at said detection time interval when a difference between a present or new detected temperature T_m and a last or old detected temperature T_m(old) is more than a predetermined value, and updates the detected temperature T_m after a timer set time longer than said detection time interval has passed when a difference between a present or new detected temperature T_m and a last or old detected temperature T_m(old) is less than said predetermined value.

9. A control apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said detection time interval in said temperature detection means is 10 to 20 seconds, preferably 15 seconds, and said timer set time is 5 to 20 minutes, preferably 10 minutes.

10. A control apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said first and second correction values in said frequency command determination means are obtained by multiplying said temperature difference (T_s -T_m) by first and second coefficients smaller than 1, respectively.

11. A control apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said first coefficient in said frequency command determination means is 1/(1.5 to 4.0), preferably 1/2, and said second coefficient is 1/(1.5 to 4.0), preferably 1/4.

12. A control apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said predetermined value relating to a difference between a present or new detected temperature T_m and a last or old detected temperature T_m(old) in said frequency command determination means is 1.5°

to 2.5°

C., especially 2°

C.