Air conditioner and method for controlling the same
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling an air conditioner including one outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor unit which installed in each of a plurality of spaces, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a controller, electric power information from an external power supply source;
obtaining, by the controller, a current power rate per unit time period from the received electric power information in real time;
automatically determining;
by the controller, whether the current power rate per unit time period is greater than a preset reference power rate per unit time period in real time;
automatically controlling, by the controller, the air conditioner to maintain current operation when the current power rate per unit time period is less than the preset reference power rate per unit time period;
determining occupancy of each of the spaces to be air conditioned when the current power rate per unit time period is greater than the preset reference power rate per unit time period in real time;
determining a space which requires air conditioning prior to the other spaces based on the determined occupancy; and
automatically controlling, by the controller, a flow rate of air supplied to the determined space based on the determined occupancy in real time.
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Abstract
An air conditioner and control method thereof is provided which may be controlled to adapt operation to changes in power rates. The method may include receiving electric power related information, determining whether a current power rate included in the received information is higher than a preset reference value, determining occupancy of a space to be air conditioned if the current power rate is higher than the preset reference value, and controlling a flow rate of air supplied to the space based on the determined occupancy.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for controlling an air conditioner including one outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor unit which installed in each of a plurality of spaces, the method comprising:
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receiving, by a controller, electric power information from an external power supply source; obtaining, by the controller, a current power rate per unit time period from the received electric power information in real time; automatically determining;
by the controller, whether the current power rate per unit time period is greater than a preset reference power rate per unit time period in real time;automatically controlling, by the controller, the air conditioner to maintain current operation when the current power rate per unit time period is less than the preset reference power rate per unit time period; determining occupancy of each of the spaces to be air conditioned when the current power rate per unit time period is greater than the preset reference power rate per unit time period in real time; determining a space which requires air conditioning prior to the other spaces based on the determined occupancy; and automatically controlling, by the controller, a flow rate of air supplied to the determined space based on the determined occupancy in real time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification