Power saving operational control method of air conditioner

• US 6,171,185 B1
• Filed: 06/04/1999
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jeong, Sang-jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyce, Harold
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOLES, DEREK
• Application Number:
  US09/325,347
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 454/229, 454/258, 237/2.A, 236/49.3
• US Class Current: 454/229
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• 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 11/79 for controlling the direction of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1909 whose output amplitude can only take two discrete values

Abstract

A power saving operational control method of an air conditioner adapted to maintain a room space at a pleasant state regardless of a distance from an indoor unit and size of the room space, thereby increasing a power saving effect, the method comprising the steps of: turning on or turning off a compressor according to a comparative result between a set-up temperature input by a user and room temperature to maintain the room temperature at the set-up temperature; discriminating whether a power saving operation signal is input; swinging the vertical/horizontal vanes vertically and horizontally to adjust directions of discharged air to the entire area of the room when it is discriminated at the signal input discriminate step that the power saving operation signal is input; discriminating whether the compressor is rendered active when it is discriminated at the signal input discrimination step that the power saving operation signal is input; calculating a power saving set-up temperature according to the room temperature and set-up temperature at the time of the compressor being rendered active when it is discriminated at the compressor activation discriminating step that the compressor is rendered active; and turning on or turning off the compressor according to a comparative result between the power saving set-up temperature calculated at the power saving set-up temperature calculating step to thereby maintain the room temperature at a power saving set-up temperature.

Claims

1. In a method of operating an air conditioner which includes an air inlet, an air outlet, a heat exchanger, an air circulating fan, and an air direction regulating mechanism at the air outlet, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting between a normal operation for the air conditioner and a power saving operation for the air conditioner;

detecting a room temperature of room air within a room;

establishing a normal setup temperature in response to a selection of said normal operation;

establishing a power saving setup temperature in response to a selection of said power saving operation;

conducting said room air across the heat exchanger to change the temperature of the room air in accordance with a difference between the room temperature detected and said power saving setup temperature; and

discharging the room air back into the room through the air outlet until the room temperature detected corresponds substantially to the power saving setup temperature;

the improvement comprising;

establishing a plurality of different intermediate temperatures over a range extending between said normal setup temperature and said power saving setup temperature in response to the selection of said power saving operation, said intermediate temperatures each differing by incremental amounts; and

conducting said room air across the heat exchanger to change the temperature of the room air in accordance with differences between the room temperature detected and each one of said power saving setup temperatures during said power saving operation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of adjusting directions of discharged air into the room in response to the selection of the power saving operation by varying orientation of the air direction regulating mechanism vertically and horizontally.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of establishing successive ones of said intermediate temperatures to differ by a predetermined equal increment of said range.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of establishing said intermediate temperatures calculated from a formula:

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

conducting room air across the heat exchanger to change the temperature of the room air upon detection of a first difference between the room temperature detected and said first intermediate temperature; and

subsequently conducting room air across the heat exchanger to change the temperature of the room air upon detection of a second difference between the room temperature detected and said second intermediate temperature.

6. In an operation control apparatus of an air conditioner comprising:

an inlet admitting air from a room;

a heat exchanger selectively heating and cooling the air admitted;

an air outlet discharging the air admitted;

a fan sequentially circulating air through the inlet, the heat exchanger and the outlet;

an adjustable direction regulating mechanism vertically and horizontally adjusting direction of air discharged to the entire area of the room in response to a selection of a power saving operation;

an input device enabling a user to select between a plurality of modes of operation of the air conditioner and to select a set room temperature; and

a control mechanism regulating operation of the heat exchanger the fan, the input device, and the air direction regulating mechanism;

the improvement comprising;

said input device enabling said user to select from among said plurality of modes a power saving operation and a normal operation and selecting a normal setup temperature for said normal operation and a power saving setup temperature for said power saving operation; and

said control mechanism responding to a selection of the power saving operation, by establishing a plurality of intermediate temperatures ranged from said normal setup temperature to said power saving setup temperature and the room temperature by sequentially resetting said room temperature to incrementally different ones of said intermediate temperatures.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprised of said adjustable direction regulating mechanism regulating a direction of air discharged from the outlet during said power saving operation.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of establishing said intermediate temperatures calculated from a formula:

9. The apparatus of claim 6, with said control mechanism establishing each one of said intermediate temperatures to be arranged by a predetermined equal increment between said normal setup temperature and said power saving setup temperature.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, with said control mechanism establishing a first intermediate temperature and a second intermediate temperature ranged from said normal setup temperature to said power saving setup temperature, said first temperature being close to said normal setup temperature while said second temperature is close to said power saving setup temperature.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, with said control mechanism resetting the room temperature to said first intermediate temperature and further resetting the room temperature to said second intermediate temperature after said control mechanism has reset the room temperature to said first intermediate temperature.

12. A method of performing a normal operation and a power saving operation in an air conditioner, comprising the steps of:

detecting a room temperature;

establishing a normal setup temperature for a normal operation and a power saving setup temperature for a power saving operation, said normal setup temperature being different from said power saving setup temperature;

making a first determination of whether said room temperature equals said normal setup temperature when said normal operation is selected;

performing said normal operation in response to said first determination;

establishing a plurality of intermediate temperatures ranging between said normal setup temperature and said power saving setup temperature;

making a second determination of whether said room temperature equals one of said intermediate temperatures when said power saving operation is selected;

performing said power saving operation in response to said second determination;

making a third determination of whether said room temperature equals said power saving setup temperature after said power saving operation has been performed in response to said second determination; and

performing said power saving operation in response to said third determination.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of establishing each of said intermediate temperatures to be arranged by a predetermined equal increment between said normal setup temperature and said power saving setup temperature.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of establishing a first intermediate temperature and a second intermediate temperature ranged from said normal setup temperature to said power saving setup temperature said first temperature being close to said normal setup temperature while said second temperature is close to said power saving setup temperature.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of making a fourth determination of whether said room temperature equals said first intermediate temperature when said power saving operation is selected.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of performing said power saving operation in response to said fourth determination.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of making a fifth determination whether said room temperature equals said second intermediate temperature after said power saving operation has been performed in response to said fourth determination.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of performing said power saving operation in response to said fifth determination.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of establishing said intermediate temperatures calculated from a formula: