The present disclosure relates to an air conditioner and, more particularly, to a method for controlling an air conditioner.

An air conditioner is an appliance that cools or heats an indoor space. The air conditioner includes a compressor, an expanding device, an indoor heat exchanger, and an outdoor heat exchanger that constitute a heat-exchange cycle. The indoor space is cooled or heated by the heat exchange between a refrigerant and indoor or outdoor air passing through the indoor and outdoor heat exchangers.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a typical air conditioner.

Referring to FIG. 1, an indoor heat exchanger for air-conditioning an indoor space is provided in an indoor unit 1. The indoor unit 1 is provided with an air inlet 2 for introducing indoor air and an air outlet 3 for discharging the air introduced through the air inlet 2 and heat-exchanging with the indoor heat exchanger. An input unit 4 for receiving manipulation signals for the air-conditioning of the indoor space is provided in the indoor unit 1.

Meanwhile, components for air-conditioning the indoor space, such as a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger, are provided in the outdoor unit 7.

GB 2 260 830 A discloses that an air source discharges air to a plurality of users. In detail, the document discloses that the air source blows gentle intensity airflow to a user who is close to the air source and strong intensity airflow to a user who is far from the air source.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling an air conditioner, which can enhance learning efficiency of a learner.

The above object is achieved with the features of the claims.

According to the embodiment, the power of concentration of the learner is enhanced and thus the learning efficiency can be improved.

• FIG. 1 is a view of a typical air conditioner.
• FIG. 2 is a diagram of an air conditioner that is controlled by an air conditioner controlling method of an embodiment.
• FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating a temperature variation of an indoor space according to an embodiment.
• FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an air-conditioning process by an air conditioner controlling method of an embodiment.

The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an air conditioner that is controlled by an air conditioner controlling method of an embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating a temperature variation of an indoor space according to an embodiment.

Referring first to FIG. 2, an air conditioner includes an air-conditioning unit 10, an input unit 20, a location detecting sensor 30, and a control unit 40. The air-conditioning unit 10 functions to control indoor air. The input unit 20 receives manipulation signals of the air-conditioning unit 10 and the location detecting sensor 20 detects a location of a user (i.e., a learner) located in the indoor space. In addition, the control unit 40 controls the air-conditioning unit 10 according to the signal input to the input unit 20 and the learner s location detected by the location detecting sensor 30.

In more detail, the air-conditioning unit 10 includes a variety of components for controlling the indoor air. That is, the air-conditioning unit 10 includes components constituting a heat exchange cycle, such as a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, and an outdoor heat exchanger. As shown in FIG. 1, the indoor and outdoor units may be separately provided or integrated with each other, the air-conditioning unit 10 for cooling the indoor air further includes a blower fan (not shown) for directing the indoor air heat-exchanging with the refrigerant circulating the evaporator to the indoor space and a wind direction controller (not shown) such as a louver for adjusting a blowing direction of the air directed to the indoor space by the blower fan.

The input unit 20 receives manipulation signals such as, for example, a signal for setting a cooling temperature and a signal for controlling an amount of air. In this embodiment, the input unit 20 receives at least a signal for selecting a learning mode. The learning mode is a mode different from general operational modes of the air-conditioning unit 10. The terminology learning mode is simply given for the descriptive convenience, not limiting the present invention.

The location detecting sensor 30 may be installed at, for example, a side of the air-conditioning unit 10. Accordingly, when the air-conditioning unit 10 includes the indoor and outdoor units, the location detecting sensor 30 may be installed in the indoor unit. Needless to say, the location detecting sensor 30 may be installed at other places rather than the air-conditioning unit 10.

The control unit 40 controls the air-conditioning unit 10 such that the indoor space is cooled in response to a cooling temperature and air volume input to the input unit 20. Particularly, the control unit 40 controls the air-conditioning unit 10 such that the indoor space is air-conditioned to enhance power of concentration of the learner located in the indoor space when a study mode is selected.

In more detail, referring to FIG. 3, when the input unit 20 receives a signal selecting the learning mode, the control unit 40 controls the air-conditioning unit 10 to perform a learning preparation step E, a learning step B, a break step C, a learning step D, and a learning finish step E. At this point, the control unit 40 controls the air-conditioning unit 10 such that the leaning steps B and D and the break step C can be alternately repeated by the predetermined number of time in accordance with the learner s selection.

In the learning preparation step A, the control unit 40 controls the air-conditioning unit 10 such that the indoor space is air-conditioned at a preset learning preparation air-conditioning temperature T1 for a preset learning preparation air-conditioning time t1. In the learning steps B and D, the control unit 40 controls the air-conditioning unit 10 such that the indoor space is air-conditioned at a preset learning air-conditioning temperature T2 for respective preset learning air-conditioning time t2 and t4. In the break step, the control unit 40 controls the air-conditioning unit 10 such that the indoor space is air-conditioned at a preset break air-conditioning temperature T3 for a preset break air-conditioning time t3. In the learning finish step E, the control unit 40 controls the air-conditioning unit 10 such that the indoor space is air-conditioned at a preset learning finish air-conditioning temperature T5 for a preset learning finish air-conditioning time t5.

Here, the learning air-conditioning temperatures T2 and T4 and the break air-conditioning temperature T3 are set to be less than the learning preparation air-conditioning temperature T1. Here, the learning finish air-conditioning temperature T5 is set to be equal to or greater than the learning preparation air-conditioning temperature T1. In addition, the break air-conditioning temperature T3 is set to be less than the learning air-conditioning temperatures T2 and T4. The relationship between the temperatures T1, T2, T3, T, and T5 can be expressed as follows: $$\mathrm{T}\mathrm{2},\mathrm{T}\mathrm{3},\mathrm{T}\mathrm{4}<\mathrm{T}\mathrm{1}$$ $$\mathrm{T}\mathrm{5}>=\mathrm{T}\mathrm{1}$$ $$\mathrm{T}\mathrm{3}<\mathrm{T}\mathrm{2},\mathrm{T}\mathrm{4}$$

For example, the learning preparation air-conditioning temperature T1 is set to be equal to or greater than 24°C and less than 28°C. The learning preparation air-conditioning temperature T1 may be set to e 26°C. The learning air-conditioning temperatures T2 and T4 are set to be less than the learning preparation air-conditioning temperature T1 by 2°C, i.e., to be equal to or greater than 23°C and less than 26°C. The learning air-conditioning temperatures T2 and T4 may be set to be 26°C. The break air-conditioning temperature T3 is set to be less than the learning preparation air-conditioning temperature T1 by 1°C, i.e., to be equal to or greater than 23°C and less than 27°C. The break air-conditioning temperature T3 may be set to be 25°C. The learning finish air-conditioning temperature T5 may be set to be equal to the learning preparation air-conditioning temperature T1.

Meanwhile, the respective learning preparation air-conditioning time t1, break air-conditioning time t3, and learning finish air-conditioning time t5 are set to be equal to or greater than 10 minutes and less than 30 minutes. The respective learning preparation air-conditioning time t1, break air-conditioning time t3, and learning finish air-conditioning time t5 may be set to be less than 20 minutes. The learning air-conditioning times t2 and t4 are set to be equal to or greater than 20 minutes and less than 40 minutes.. The learning air-conditioning times t2 and t4 may be set to be 30 minutes. Here, the learning preparation air-conditioning time t1 is a time from a point where the learner seats at his/her desk to a point where the learner starts concentrating. Further, the learning air-conditioning times t2 and t4 and the break air-conditioning time t3 are a time for the learner keeps concentrating or a time or a mean break time of the learner.

The control unit 40 controls the air-conditioning unit 10, in more detail, a wind direction adjusting member in the learning preparation step A, learning steps B and D, break step C, and learning finish step E such that the air for cooling the indoor space, i.e., cool air is generated in the form of a direct wind that is directly directed toward the learner who is detected by the location detecting sensor 30 or an indirect wind that is indirectly directed toward the learner. In more detail, the control unit 40 controls the wind direction adjusting member such that the direct wind is generated in the learning preparation step A and learning steps B and D. The control unit 40 controls the wind direction adjusting member such that the indirect wind is generated in the break step C and learning finish step E. By directly directing the air toward the learner in the learning preparation step A, the learner can quickly feel that the indoor space is cooled. By indirectly directing the air toward the learner in the learning steps B and D, the learner can feel comfort and thus the power of the concentration of the learner can be enhanced. In the break step C and learning finish step E, the indirect wind can allow the learner to take a break or finish the learning in a state where the power of the concentration is relatively reduced.

The following will describe an air-conditioning process by a method of controlling an air conditioner of an embodiment in more detail.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an air-conditioning process by an air conditioner controlling method of an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4, when a user inputs the learning mode to the input unit 20, the learning mode is selected (S11). Then, the control unit 40 controls such that the air-conditioning unit 10 operates for an initial step A (S13). Therefore, the indoor space is air-conditioned by the direct wind of the learning preparation air-conditioning temperature T1, i.e., a temperature equal to or greater than 24°C or less than 28°C, preferably 26°C, by the air-conditioning unit 10.

Next, the control unit 40 determines if the learning preparation air-conditioning time t1 has elapsed after the initial step A starts (S15). When it is determined that the learning preparation air-conditioning time t1 has elapsed, the control unit 40 controls such that the air-conditioning unit 10 operates for the learning step B (S17). Accordingly, the indoor space is air-conditioned by the direct wind of the learning air-conditioning temperature T2, i.e., a temperature equal to or greater than 22°C and less than 26°C, preferably 24°C, by the air-conditioning unit 10.

The control unit 40 determines if the learning air-conditioning time t2 has elapsed after the learning step B starts (S 19). When it is determined that the learning air-conditioning time t2 has elapsed, the control unit 40 controls such that the air-conditioning unit 10 operates for the break step C (S21). Accordingly, the indoor space is air-conditioned by the indirect wind of the break air-conditioning temperature T3, i.e., a temperature equal to or greater than 23°C and less than 27°C, preferably 25°C, by the air-conditioning unit 10.

Next, the control unit 40 determines if the break air-conditioning time t3 has elapsed after the break step C starts (S 15). When it is determined that the break air-conditioning time t3 has elapsed, the control unit 40 controls such that the air-conditioning unit 10 operates for the learning step D (S25).

Meanwhile, the control unit 40 determines if the learning air-conditioning time t4 has elapsed after the learning step D of Step 25 starts (S27). When it is determined that the learning air-conditioning time t4 of Step 27 has elapsed, the control unit 40 determines if the repetition number of the learning step-break step-learning step exceeds the preset number (S29).

When it is determined that the repetition number of the learning step-break step-learning step exceeds the preset number, the control unit 40 controls such that the air-conditioning unit 10 operates for the learning finish step E (S31). Further, the control unit 40 determines if the learning finish air-conditioning time t5 has elapsed after the learning finish step E starts. When it is determined that the learning finish air-conditioning time t5 has elapsed, the learning mode is finished. However, when it is determined that the repetition number of the learning step-break step-learning step does not exceed the preset number in Step 29, the control unit 40 controls the air-conditioning unit to repeat Steps 21 to 27.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the scope of the claims of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

According to the embodiment, the direct and indirection winds are alternately repeated and thus the force of the concentration of the learner is enhanced. Therefore, it can be expected that the learner can more efficiently learn.