Operation mode setting apparatus for air conditioner

• US 5,400,852 A
• Filed: 03/25/1993
• Issued: 03/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakae, Tsugio, Ishihara, Manabu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ford, John K.
• Application Number:
  US08/030,475
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 165/27, 165/28, 165/12, 236/91 D, 236/91 E, 236/46 R
• US Class Current: 165/205
• 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 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/41 Defrosting; Preventing freezing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/79 for controlling the direction of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/871 by controlling outdoor fans
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2003/144 by dehumidification only
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/50 Load
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value

Abstract

An operation mode of an air condition is automatically set during an intermediate season so that the set operation mode can match the actual sensation of a user. A plurality of temperature zones are set defining a plurality of room-temperature ranges and a respective plurality of outside-temperature ranges, and operation modes are selectively assigned to each of the temperature zones. An operation mode is set according to the zone containing an actual room temperature and outside temperature. In addition, the temperature zones assignments are selectively changed according to a calendar date of operation.

Claims

1. An operation mode setting apparatus for an air conditioner, said apparatus for setting any one of plural operation modes of the air conditioner, said operation modes including a room cooling mode for cooling a room, a room heating mode for heating said room and a room dehumidifying mode for dehumidifying said room, said apparatus comprising:

room temperature detection means for detecting a temperature of said room;

outdoor temperature detection means for detecting an outdoor temperature;

date information generating means for generating date information indicative of a calendar date upon initiation of a starting operation of said air conditioner;

zone setting means for determining a plurality of temperature zones, each of said plurality of temperature zones being defined by a room temperature range and an associated outdoor temperature range;

zone marking means for marking at least one of said plurality of temperature zones as a cooling mode zone, for marking at least one other of said plurality of temperature zones as a heating mode zone, and for marking at least a remaining one of said plurality of temperature zones as a dehumidifying mode zone;

changing means for changing the marking of at least one of said plurality of zones from said dehumidifying mode zone to one of said cooling mode zone and said heating mode zone in accordance with said date information; and

operation mode setting means for automatically setting the operation mode of the air conditioner in accordance with the marking of a temperature zone containing the room temperature detected by said room temperature detecting means and the outdoor temperature detected by said outdoor temperature detecting means.