Air conditioner and method for controlling the same

• US 6,540,017 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugawara, Sakuo, Suzuki, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): WAYNER, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US09/816,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20010027862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 236/46.R, 236/47, 165/238, 622/31
• US Class Current: 165/238
• 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 11/62 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: G05D 23/1904 variable in time

Abstract

A user enters a thermal perception level or a temperature set point in a perception level and temperature entry portion. Then, a clock portion calculates, by clocking, the time of entry to the perception level and temperature entry portion, and the entered temperature set point is stored as a temperature set point of an individual time interval in a temperature set point memory portion. When no entry is available to the perception level and temperature entry portion, air conditioning power is controlled in accordance with a temperature that has been already stored in the temperature set point memory portion.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, comprising:

an entry portion for allowing a user of the air conditioner to enter a temperature set point, using a perception level of temperature or a degree of temperature;

a clock portion for measuring time;

a temperature set point memory portion for storing the temperature set point for each predetermined time interval in accordance with an entry time to said entry portion; and

at least operating patterns of heating and cooling cycles,

wherein air conditioning power thereof is controlled in accordance with an entry to said entry portion or a temperature stored in the temperature set point memory portion,

wherein said temperature set point memory portion stores a temperature for each predetermined time interval for each of said at least operating patterns, and

wherein when a user has entered a temperature set point twice or more using said entry portion during a predetermined time interval, a temperature equal to or greater than a mean temperature and equal to or less than the maximum temperature of the entered temperature set points is stored in the temperature set point memory portion in the case of a cooling cycle operation, and whereas a temperature equal to or greater than the minimum temperature and equal to or less than a mean temperature of the entered temperature set points is stored in the temperature set point memory portion in the case of a heating cycle operation.

2. An air conditioner, comprising:

an entry portion for allowing a user of the air conditioner to enter a temperature set point, using a perception level of temperature or a degree of temperature;

a clock portion for measuring time;

a temperature set point memory portion for storing the temperature set point for each predetermined time interval in accordance with an entry time to said entry portion; and

a temperature change pattern memory portion for storing a plurality of temperature change patterns,

wherein one of the temperature change patterns stored in the temperature change pattern memory portion is selected and determined, thereby controlling air conditioning power in accordance with a temperature stored in the temperature set point memory portion and the determined temperature change pattern,

wherein from the plurality of temperature change patterns stored in said temperature change pattern memory portion, different temperature change patterns are selected to increase a cooling temperature and to decrease a cooling temperature during a cooling cycle operation, whereas different temperature change patterns are selected to increase a heating temperature and to decrease a heating temperature during a heating cycle operation, and

wherein by said different temperature change patterns, the cooling temperature is more slowly shifted at a time of decreasing the cooling temperature than at a time of increasing the cooling temperature during a cooling cycle operation, while the heating temperature is shifted more slowly at a time of increasing the heating temperature than at a time of decreasing the heating temperature during a heating cycle operation.

3. An air conditioner, comprising:

an entry portion for allowing a user of the air conditioner to enter an operation pattern, a temperature set point, and a life scene;

a clock portion for measuring time;

a temperature set point memory portion for storing a temperature set point for each predetermined time interval of each life scene in accordance with an entry time to said entry portion; and

a life scene change portion for outputting, in accordance with a life scene entry to said entry portion, an instruction to change the life scene to said temperature set point memory portion,

wherein air conditioning is controlled in accordance with a temperature set point entry to said entry portion or a temperature stored in the temperature set point memory portion, for each life scene, and

wherein said life scene includes at least a sleep scene, and when a life scene is changed to said sleep scene, air conditioning is performed by reducing a rotational speed of an indoor air blower.

4. A method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising the steps of:

allowing a user to enter an operation condition for a plurality of predetermined time intervals for at least operating patterns of heating and cooling cycles;

storing the operation condition for each predetermined time interval;

allowing the user to enter a perception level of temperature; and

controlling air conditioning power in each time interval in accordance with the operation condition stored for each time interval and the perception level entered by the user,

wherein when a user has entered a perception level of temperature or a temperature set point twice or more during a predetermined time interval, a temperature equal to or greater than a mean temperature and equal to or less than the maximum temperature of the entered temperature set points is stored in the temperature set point memory portion in the case of a cooling cycle operation, and whereas a temperature equal to or greater than the minimum temperature and equal to or less than a mean temperature of the entered temperature set points is stored in the temperature set point memory portion in the case of a heating cycle operation.

5. A method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising the steps of:

allowing a user to enter a temperature set point and a life scene entry;

determining in which time interval of a plurality of predetermined time intervals in a day is a current time;

storing a temperature set point of an individual time interval by associating the entry of said temperature set point with said current time interval;

controlling air conditioning power of the same time interval of next and following days in accordance with the temperature set point of the individual time interval,

wherein air conditioning is controlled in accordance with a temperature set point entry or a stored temperature set point for each life scene, and

wherein said life scene includes at least a sleep scene, and when a life scene is changed to said sleep scene, air conditioning is performed by reducing a rotational speed of an indoor air blower.

6. A method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising the steps of:

allowing a user to enter a temperature set point and a perception level of temperature;

determining in which time interval of a plurality of predetermined time intervals in a day is a current time;

storing a temperature set point of an individual time interval by associating the entry of said temperature set point with said current time interval;

when changing a room air temperature to the stored temperature set point of the individual time interval, determining selectively one of a plurality of temperature change patterns; and

controlling air conditioning power in accordance with the determined temperature change pattern,

wherein from the plurality of temperature change patterns, different temperature change patterns are selected to increase a cooling temperature and to decrease a cooling temperature during a cooling cycle operation, whereas different temperature change patterns are selected to increase a heating temperature and to decrease a heating temperature during a heating cycle operation, and

wherein by said different temperature change patterns, the cooling temperature is more slowly shifted at a time of decreasing the cooling temperature than at a time of increasing the cooling temperature during a cooling cycle operation, while the heating temperature is shifted more slowly at a time of increasing the heating temperature than at a time of decreasing the heating temperature during a heating cycle operation.