Air conditioning system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016201936-A1
Application number	US-201414912358-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 1, 2014
Priority date	Sep 24, 2013
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

False determination in the presence or absence of a person in a in a room is limited. An air conditioner suspends an air conditioning operation if a room is vacant. If at least one of motion detectors, each provided to one of the indoor units, starts to detect the presence of a person during suspension of the air conditioning operation, an indoor controller of an indoor unit sums, for each of the motion detectors, time periods in which the presence of the person is detected to obtain a detection time period sum. If any one of detection time period sums, each for one of the motion detectors, reaches a reference value within a predetermined time period, the outdoor controller causes the air conditioner to resume the air conditioning operation.

First claim

1 . An air conditioning system comprising:
an air conditioner including an outdoor unit and indoor units belonging to a common control system, the indoor units being installed in a common room; motion detectors each provided to one of the indoor units, and configured to detect presence of a person in the room; and a controller configured to cause the air conditioner to suspend an air conditioning operation if the room is vacant, wherein while the air conditioning operation is suspended, the controller; obtains a detection time period sum by summing, for each of the motion detectors, time periods in which the presence of the person is detected, if at least one of the motion detectors, each provided to one of the indoor units, starts to detect the presence of the person during the suspension of the air conditioning operation; and causes the air conditioner to resume the air conditioning operation if any one of detection time period sums, including the detection time period sum and each for one of the motion detectors, reaches a reference value within a predetermined time period after the at least one motion detector starts to detect the presence of the person.

2 . The air conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein
each indoor unit includes: an indoor casing having an outlet from which air is blown into the room; a flap placed to, and capable of opening and closing, the outlet; and an indoor fan creating a flow of the air blown from the outlet, and the controller closes the flap and stops the indoor fan during the suspension of the air conditioning operation.

3 . The air conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein
the controller stops the compressor included in the outdoor unit, during the suspension of the air conditioning operation.

4 . The air conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein
the controller causes the air conditioner to suspend the air conditioning operation, if determining for all the indoor units that the room is vacant.

5 . The air conditioning system of claim 1 , further comprising
a receiver configured to be capable of selectively receiving one of: a first mode for obtaining the detection time period sum for each motion detector; or a second mode for collecting time periods in which the presence of the person is detected by at least two of the motion detectors, and obtain the detection time period sum by summing the collected time periods, each of the motion detectors being provided to one of the indoor units, and the controller obtains the detection time period sum in accordance with one of the first mode or the second mode received by the receiver.

6 . The air conditioning system of claim 5 , wherein
in the second mode, the receiver is further capable of receiving a setting to rule out a motion detector, of a predetermined one of the indoor units, from among targets for obtaining the detection time period sum, the ruled out motion detector being included in the motion detectors.

7 . The air conditioning system of claim 2 , further comprising
a receiver configured to be capable of selectively receiving one of: a first mode for obtaining the detection time period sum for each motion detector; or a second mode for collecting time periods in which the presence of the person is detected by at least two of the motion detectors, and obtain the detection time period sum by summing the collected time periods, each of the motion detectors being provided to one of the indoor units, and the controller obtains the detection time period sum in accordance with one of the first mode or the second mode received by the receiver.

8 . The air conditioning system of claim 3 , further comprising
a receiver configured to be capable of selectively receiving one of: a first mode for obtaining the detection time period sum for each motion detector; or a second mode for collecting time periods in which the presence of the person is detected by at least two of the motion detectors, and obtain the detection time period sum by summing the collected time periods, each of the motion detectors being provided to one of the indoor units, and the controller obtains the detection time period sum in accordance with one of the first mode or the second mode received by the receiver.

9 . The air conditioning system of claim 4 , further comprising
a receiver configured to be capable of selectively receiving one of: a first mode for obtaining the detection time period sum for each motion detector; or a second mode for collecting time periods in which the presence of the person is detected by at least two of the motion detectors, and obtain the detection time period sum by summing the collected time periods, each of the motion detectors being provided to one of the indoor units, and the controller obtains the detection time period sum in accordance with one of the first mode or the second mode received by the receiver.

10 . The air conditioning system of claim 7 , wherein
in the second mode, the receiver is further capable of receiving a setting to rule out a motion detector, of a predetermined one of the indoor units, from among targets for obtaining the detection time period sum, the ruled out motion detector being included in the motion detectors.

11 . The air conditioning system of claim 8 , wherein
in the second mode, the receiver is further capable of receiving a setting to rule out a motion detector, of a predetermined one of the indoor units, from among targets for obtaining the detection time period sum, the ruled out motion detector being included in the motion detectors.

12 . The air conditioning system of claim 9 , wherein
in the second mode, the receiver is further capable of receiving a setting to rule out a motion detector, of a predetermined one of the indoor units, from among targets for obtaining the detection time period sum, the ruled out motion detector being included in the motion detectors.

Assignees

• Daikin Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Suhara Ryouta
• Yamamoto Takayoshi
• Yokomizo Tsuyoshi
• Masuda Tomoo

Classifications

• F24F11/46

  Improving electric energy efficiency or saving · CPC title

• F24F11/66 Primary

  Sleep mode · CPC title

• F24F2120/10

  Occupancy · CPC title

• F24F3/065

  with a plurality of evaporators or condensers · CPC title

• F24F11/61

  using timers · CPC title