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EP-4741724-A1 - METHOD OF MANAGING AIR CONDITIONER AND AIR CONDITIONER

EP4741724A1EP 4741724 A1EP4741724 A1EP 4741724A1EP-4741724-A1

Abstract

A method of managing an air conditioner for performing a cooling operation and a dry operation includes receiving a user command to set at least one of a target operation time of a fan of the air conditioner and a target rotation speed of the fan to control the dry operation; and performing the dry operation by operating the fan at the set target rotation speed of the fan according to the user command for the set target operation time of the fan according to the user command.

Inventors

  • YOU, Hangeoroo
  • KANG, HEECHAN
  • PARK, JEONGUK
  • JO, Hyukbin
  • HAN, SEUNGYEON

Assignees

  • Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241015

Claims (15)

  1. A method of managing an air conditioner for performing a cooling operation and a dry operation, the method comprising: receiving a user command to set at least one of a target operation time of a fan of the air conditioner and a target rotation speed of the fan to control the dry operation; and performing the dry operation by operating the fan at the set target rotation speed of the fan according to the received user command for the set target operation time of the fan according to the received user command.
  2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing an interface for changing settings of the dry operation, wherein the interface comprises an interface element for setting a noise level of the dry operation.
  3. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving of the user command to set the target rotation speed further comprises receiving the user command to set the noise level of the dry operation through the interface element; and setting the target rotation speed based on the noise level of the dry operation set according to the received user command.
  4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a minimum operation time of the fan for the dry operation based on the set target rotation speed according to the received user command; and limiting a settable range of the target operation time to prevent the target operation time from being shorter than the determined minimum operation time.
  5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: outputting a visual element indicating the minimum operation time.
  6. The method of claim 4, further comprising: providing a visual element indicating that the range of the target operation time is limited, in response to receiving a user command to reduce the target operation time to be shorter than the determined minimum operation time.
  7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining the target rotation speed based on the set target operation time according to the received user command; and providing a visual element indicating the determined target rotation speed.
  8. The method of claim 7, wherein the providing of the visual element indicating the determined target rotation speed comprises providing a visual element indicating a noise level corresponding to the determined target rotation speed.
  9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining cleaning efficiency of the dry operation based on the set target operation time and the set target rotation speed according to the received user command; and providing a visual element indicating the cleaning efficiency.
  10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a recommended dry time for the dry operation based on average operation time information of the air conditioner, and temperature information and humidity information of surrounding air of the air conditioner; and providing a visual element indicating the determined recommended dry time.
  11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a selection command which selects a mode of the dry operation to be a user setting mode or an automatic mode; in response to the user setting mode being selected for the mode of the dry operation, performing the dry operation by operating the fan at the set target rotation speed of the fan according to the user command for the set target operation time of the fan according to the user command; and in response to the automatic mode being selected for the mode of the dry operation, performing the dry operation based on the target operation time and the target rotation speed automatically determined based on an operation time of the air conditioner, and temperature and humidity of surrounding air of the air conditioner.
  12. The method of claim 1, further comprising: performing the dry operation in response to the cooling operation being terminated.
  13. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the user command comprises receiving, by the air conditioner, the user command through a user interface device of the air conditioner.
  14. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the user command comprises receiving, by a user device, the user command through a user interface device of the user device; transmitting, by the user device, the user command to the air conditioner; and receiving, by the air conditioner, the user command from the user device.
  15. An air conditioner comprising: a main body including an outlet; a heat exchanger; a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant supplied from the heat exchanger; a fan configured to blow air which has exchanged heat in the heat exchanger to the outlet; and a controller configured to control the compressor and the fan to perform a cooling operation and a dry operation, wherein the controller is configured to receive a user command to set at least one of a target operation time of the fan and a target rotation speed of the fan to control the dry operation; and perform the dry operation by operating the fan at the set target rotation speed of the fan according to the received user command for the set target operation time of the fan according to the received user command.

Description

[Technical Field] The disclosure relates to a method of managing an air conditioner and the air conditioner. [Background Art] The air conditioner is a device for conditioning air in indoor space by using transfer of heat produced in evaporation and condensation procedures of a refrigerant to cool or heat the air and releasing the cooled or heated air. The air conditioner may circulate the refrigerant and draw in indoor air by rotating a fan arranged around an indoor heat exchanger in the cooling operation or heating operation. The air conditioner may have the air drawn in exchange heat in the indoor heat exchanger and release the heat-exchanged air into the indoor space. Furthermore, the air conditioner performs a dry operation after the end of the cooling operation to get rid of water condensed in the indoor heat exchanger during the cooling operation. The air conditioner may stop circulating the refrigerant during the dry operation, and drop or evaporate the water condensed on the heat exchanger by rotating the fan arranged around the indoor heat exchanger. The traditional air conditioner rotates the fan at a predetermined rotation speed during a predetermined dry time for the dry operation, thereby causing a loud noise. [Disclosure] [Technical Problem] The disclosure provides a method of managing an air conditioner and the air conditioner, allowing the user to change settings of a dry operation of the air conditioner according to the demand of the user. The disclosure provides a method of managing an air conditioner and the air conditioner, allowing the user to change settings of a dry operation of the air conditioner according to the demand of the user while maintaining the efficiency of the dry operation. Technological objectives of the disclosure are not limited to what are mentioned above, and throughout the specification, it will be clearly appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that there may be other technological objectives unmentioned. [Technical Solution] According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a method of managing an air conditioner may include receiving a user command to set at least one of a target operation time of a fan of the air conditioner and a target rotation speed of the fan to control a dry operation; and performing the dry operation by operating the fan at the set target rotation speed of the fan set according to the user command for the set target operation time of the fan set according to the user command. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an air conditioner may include a main body including an outlet; a heat exchanger; a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant supplied from the heat exchanger; a fan configured to blow air which has exchanged heat in the heat exchanger to the outlet; and a controller configured to control the compressor and the fan to perform a cooling operation and a dry operation, wherein the controller is configured to receive a user command to set at least one of a target operation time of the fan and a target rotation speed of the fan for the dry operation; and perform the dry operation by operating the fan at the target rotation speed of the fan set according to the user command for the target operation time of the fan set according to the user command. [Description of Drawings] FIG. 1 illustrates an air conditioner management system including an air conditioner, according to an embodiment.FIG. 2 illustrates a refrigerant circulation circuit of an air conditioning system, according to an embodiment.FIG. 3 is an exterior view of an air conditioner, according to an embodiment.FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an air conditioner, according to an embodiment.FIG. 5 illustrates an air conditioner with an outlet open, according to an embodiment.FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along A-A' of FIG. 4.FIG. 7 illustrates an air conditioner with an outlet closed, according to an embodiment.FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along line B-B' of FIG. 6.FIG. 9 is a control block diagram illustrating components of an air conditioning system, according to an embodiment.FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a management method for air conditioner, according to an embodiment.FIG. 11 is a flowchart for describing an example of a procedure for determining a target operation time based on a target rotation speed set by a user, according to an embodiment.FIG. 12 is a flowchart for describing an example of a procedure for determining a minimum operation time based on a target rotation speed set by a user, according to an embodiment.FIG. 13 illustrates an example of an interface for changing the settings of a dry operation, according to an embodiment.FIG. 14 illustrates another example of an interface for changing the settings of a dry operation, according to an embodiment.FIG. 15 illustrates an example of a visual element indicating a minimum operation time, according to an embodiment.FIG. 16 illustrates an example of a visual element provi