AIR CONDITIONER FOR IMPROVING COOLING PERFORMANCE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a continuation application, claiming priority under 35 U.S.C. § 365 (c), of an International application No. PCT/KR2025/005054, filed on Apr. 14, 2025, which is based on and claims the benefit of a Korean patent application number 10-2024-0083039, filed on Jun. 25, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The disclosure relates to an air conditioner and a control method thereof. More particularly, the disclosure relates to an air conditioner for improving cooling performance, a method of controlling the air conditioner, and a computer-readable recording medium having stored therein a computer program for performing the method of controlling the air conditioner.

2. Description of Related Art

An air conditioning system is capable of regulating the conditions of air, such as the temperature, humidity, and dust concentration of an indoor space where a user resides.

The air conditioning system may control a compressor therein to compress a refrigerant at a high temperature and high pressure. The refrigerant compressed at the high temperature and high pressure circulates through a refrigeration cycle within the air conditioning system and absorbs heat via a heat exchanger located in an indoor unit, thereby cooling the air around the heat exchanger.

An inverter-type air conditioner may include a power module for changing a frequency of a compressor according to circumstances. The power module may include elements that are more susceptible to heat than other components of the air conditioner. When an outside air temperature increases, the temperature of the power module in an outdoor unit may increase. The power module may have a higher risk of burn-out damage due to high temperatures.

The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the disclosure.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the disclosure are to address at least the above-mentioned problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of the disclosure is to provide an air conditioner and a control method thereof.

Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments.

In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, an air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes a compressor, a power module configured to drive the compressor, a power module temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the power module, memory storing one or more computer programs, and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the compressor, the power module, the power module temperature sensor, and the memory, wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the air conditioner to determine whether a current of the compressor corresponding to a target frequency of the compressor is greater than or equal to an upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature, and based on determining that the current of the compressor is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, when the outside air temperature is lower than a reference temperature, limit a current being applied to the compressor to less than the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, and when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature, increase the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on the detected temperature of the power module.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a method of controlling an air conditioner for improving cooling performance is provided. The method includes detecting, by the air conditioner, a temperature of a power module, determining, by the air conditioner, whether a current of the compressor corresponding to a target frequency of the compressor is greater than or equal to an upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature, and based on determining that the current of the compressor is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature when the outside air temperature is lower than a reference temperature, limiting, by the air conditioner, the current being applied to the compressor to less than the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, and when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature increasing, by the air conditioner, the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on the detected temperature of the power module.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing one or more computer programs including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an air conditioner for improving cooling performance individually or collectively, cause the air conditioner to perform operations are provided. The operations include detecting, by the air conditioner, a temperature of a power module, determining, by the air conditioner, whether a current of a compressor corresponding to a target frequency of the compressor is greater than or equal to an upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature, and based on determining that the current of the compressor is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, when the outside air temperature is lower than a reference temperature, limiting, by the air conditioner, a current being applied to the compressor to less than the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, and when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature, increasing, by the air conditioner, the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on the detected temperature of the power module.

Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses various embodiments of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain embodiments of the disclosure will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a method, performed by an air conditioner, of applying current to a compressor based on a temperature of a power module, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates a graph of an upper limit current with respect to an outside air temperature stored in an air conditioner, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method, performed by an air conditioner, of determining a target current to be applied to a compressor by taking into account a temperature of a power module, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates a method, performed by an air conditioner, of determining a target current based on a temperature of a power module, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates a method, performed by an air conditioner, of determining a target current based on a temperature of a power module and an indoor air volume, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method, performed by an air conditioner, of determining whether to increase a current to greater than or equal to an upper limit current, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method, performed by an air conditioner, of determining whether to increase a current to greater than or equal to an upper limit current based on a user input, according to an embodiment of the disclosure; and

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

The same reference numerals are used to represent the same elements throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of various embodiments of the disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents. It includes various specific details to assist in that understanding but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the various embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various embodiments of the disclosure is provided for illustration purpose only and not for the purpose of limiting the disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

It is to be understood that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a component surface” includes reference to one or more of such surfaces.

Throughout the disclosure, the expression “at least one of a, b or c” indicates only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a and c, both b and c, all of a, b, and c, or variations thereof.

An embodiment of the disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings so that the embodiment may be easily implemented by one of ordinary skill in the art. However, the disclosure may be implemented in different forms and should not be construed as being limited to embodiments set forth herein. Furthermore, parts not related to descriptions of the disclosure are omitted to clearly explain the disclosure in the drawings, and like reference numerals denote like elements throughout.

As the terms used herein, general terms that are currently widely used are selected by taking functions in the disclosure into account, but the terms may refer to various other terms according to an intention of one of ordinary skill in the art, precedent cases, advent of new technologies, or the like. Thus, the terms used herein should be defined not by simple appellations thereof but based on the meaning of the terms together with the overall description of the disclosure.

Furthermore, although the terms including an ordinal number, such as “first”, “second”, or the like, may be used herein to describe various elements or components, these elements or components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are only used to distinguish one element or component from another element or component.

In addition, the terms used herein are only used to describe particular embodiments of the disclosure, and are not intended to limit the disclosure. Furthermore, throughout the specification, when a part is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another part, it will be understood that the part may be directly connected to or electrically coupled to the other part with one or more intervening elements therebetween. Throughout the disclosure, when a part “includes” or “comprises” an element, unless there is a particular description contrary thereto, it is understood that the part may further include other elements, not excluding the other elements.

Expressions, such as “in some embodiments of the disclosure” or “in an embodiment of the disclosure” described in various parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment(s) of the disclosure.

An embodiment of the disclosure is to provide an air conditioner and a control method thereof for improving cooling performance.

It should be appreciated that the blocks in each flowchart and combinations of the flowcharts may be performed by one or more computer programs which include computer-executable instructions. The entirety of the one or more computer programs may be stored in a single memory device or the one or more computer programs may be divided with different portions stored in different multiple memory devices.

Any of the functions or operations described herein can be processed by one processor or a combination of processors. The one processor or the combination of processors is circuitry performing processing and includes circuitry like an application processor (AP, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)), a communication processor (CP, e.g., a modem), a graphical processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU) (e.g., an artificial intelligence (AI) chip), a wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi) chip, a Bluetooth™ chip, a global positioning system (GPS) chip, a near field communication (NFC) chip, connectivity chips, a sensor controller, a touch controller, a finger-print sensor controller, a display drive integrated circuit (IC), an audio CODEC chip, a universal serial bus (USB) controller, a camera controller, an image processing IC, a microprocessor unit (MPU), a system on chip (SoC), an IC, or the like.

FIG. 1 illustrates a method, performed by an air conditioner of applying a current to a compressor based on a temperature of a power module, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1, an air conditioner 1000 may increase a current to greater than or equal to an upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature based on the temperature of the power module.

The power module may be a module for applying a current to the compressor. The power module may change a frequency of the compressor by changing the current being applied to the compressor according to a control signal. The power module may include, for example, an intelligent power module (IPM). The IPM may include a power device, such as an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) or a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). The power module may have a higher risk of burn-out damage due to high temperatures than other components.

The air conditioner 1000 may obtain an upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature. The air conditioner 1000 may detect an outside air temperature and perform a cooling operation below an upper limit current corresponding to the detected outside air temperature.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature may be a maximum value of a current at which the air conditioner 1000 is operable at a predetermined efficiency under a predetermined condition corresponding to one outside air temperature, or a value obtained by subtracting a predetermined margin value from the maximum value.

The predetermined condition may be the worst condition under which an outdoor unit may be placed at the one outside air temperature.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the worst condition may be a maximum value of a temperature range of the power module at one outside air temperature. For example, the power module may have a temperature of 35° C. to 65° C. when the outside air temperature is 35° C. Accordingly, an upper limit current value when the outside air temperature is 35° C. may be a maximum value of a current at which the air conditioner 1000 is operable at the predetermined efficiency when the power module is 65° C., or a value obtained by subtracting the predetermined margin value from the maximum value.

As the outside air temperature rises, a temperature range of the power module inside the outdoor unit located outdoors also rises. Accordingly, as the outside air temperature increases, a maximum value of the current at which the air conditioner 1000 is operable at predetermined efficiency may decrease.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the worst condition may include, but is not limited to, a type of an indoor unit in addition to the temperature of the power module. For example, when the outdoor unit has a capacity of 10 kilowatts (KW), the types of indoor units that are connectable to the outdoor unit may be a 10 KW ceiling-mounted 4-way indoor unit, a 10 KW 1-way indoor unit, a 10 KW wall-mounted indoor unit, and a 10 KW floor-mounted indoor unit. When a maximum value of the current at which the air conditioner 1000 is operable at the predetermined efficiency is lowest when the floor-mounted 10 KW indoor unit is connected to the outdoor unit, an upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature of 35° C. may be a maximum value of the current at which the air conditioner 1000 is operable at the predetermined efficiency when the temperature of the power module is 64° C. and the floor-mounted 10 KW indoor unit is connected to the outdoor unit, or a value obtained by subtracting the predetermined margin value from the maximum value.

The predetermined efficiency may be 100% of the rated nominal performance of the air conditioner 1000, and may be 95% or 110% thereof, but is not limited thereto.

Because an upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature is based on a current value under the worst condition at the corresponding outside air temperature and is a current value obtained by subtracting a safety margin value from the current value under the worst condition, a maximum current value at which the air conditioner 1000 is to be driven at the predetermined efficiency when actually driven may be greater than or equal to the upper limit current. For example, when the temperature of the power module is 45° C. while the air conditioner 1000 is driven at the outside air temperature of 35° C., a maximum current value at which the air conditioner 1000 may actually be driven at the predetermined efficiency is higher than the upper limit current, which is the maximum current value when the power module is 65° C. In addition, because there are various types of indoor units, a maximum current value at which the air conditioner 1000 may be driven at a predetermined efficiency may be different depending on a type of indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit.

Referring to FIG. 1, the air conditioner 1000 may increase the current to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on an actual temperature of the power module.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, when the current being applied to the compressor exceeds the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, the air conditioner 1000 may not limit the current to less than the upper limit current but may calculate a target current 100 that is greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on the actual temperature of the power module. The air conditioner 1000 may increase the current up to the calculated target current 100.

Accordingly, when a current limit is excessively applied even though the actual temperature of the power module is low when the outside air temperature is high, the air conditioner 1000 may output higher cooling performance by increasing the current to greater than or equal to the upper limit current according to the actual temperature of the power module.

Referring to FIG. 1, the air conditioner 1000 may calculate the target current 100 such that the higher the temperature of the power module, the less the amount of increase in current from the upper limit current. The air conditioner 1000 may apply the calculated target current 100 to the compressor. Because the temperature of the power module may increase as the current being applied to the power module increases, the higher the temperature of the power module, the lower the amount of increase in the current, and thus, the power module may be prevented from burning out due to high temperatures.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the air conditioner 1000 may calculate the target current 100 by further taking into account an indoor air volume as well as the upper limit current and the temperature of the power module. Because a user tends to set the indoor air volume higher when he or she does not feel cool, the air conditioner 1000 may calculate the target current 100 such that the higher the indoor air volume set in the air conditioner 1000, the greater the amount of increase in current from the upper limit current.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the air conditioner 1000 may determine the target current 100 to be applied to the compressor based on the outside air temperature as well as the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, the temperature of the power module, and the indoor air volume set in the air conditioner 1000.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the air conditioner 1000 may increase the current to greater than or equal to the upper limit current only when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to a reference temperature. The reference temperature may be predetermined and stored in the air conditioner 1000. When the outside air temperature is lower than the reference temperature, when the current being applied to the compressor exceeds an upper limit current, the air conditioner 1000 may limit the current to below the upper limit current.

Accordingly, by increasing the current to greater than or equal to the upper limit current only in a high-temperature interval that is an interval of temperatures higher than or equal to the reference temperature, the cooling efficiency may not be reduced due to overcooling in a non-high-temperature interval.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature and a revolutions per minute (RPM) of an outdoor fan of the air conditioner 1000 has a predetermined maximum value, the air conditioner 1000 may increase the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to an upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 2, the air conditioner 1000 may include a processor 1100, memory 1400, a power module temperature sensor 1944, a power module 1942, and a compressor 1910.

The processor 1100 may generally control all operations of the air conditioner 1000. The processor 1100 may execute programs stored in the memory 1400 to control the power module temperature sensor 1944, the power module 1942, and the compressor 1910.

The memory 1400 stores various pieces of information, data, instructions, programs, or the like, necessary for the operations of the air conditioner 1000. The memory 1400 may include at least one of volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or a combination thereof.

The memory 1400 may store information about an upper limit current according to an outside air temperature. The memory 1400 may store coefficient information for determining a target current to be applied to the compressor 1910 based on an upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature and a temperature of the power module 1942. The memory 1400 may store coefficient information for determining a target current to be applied to the compressor 1910 based on at least one of an indoor air volume set in the air conditioner 1000 or the outside air temperature in addition to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature and the temperature of the power module 1942.

The compressor 1910 may increase a pressure of a refrigerant by reducing a volume of the refrigerant. The higher the frequency of the compressor 1910, the higher the pressure of the refrigerant. The frequency of the compressor 1910 may be controlled by the power module 1942.

The power module 1942 may include a power device, and may change a rotational frequency of a compressor motor connected to the power device by changing a switching frequency of the power device according to a control signal. The power module 1942 may include a power device, such as an IGBT or a MOSFET. The power module 1942 may include a driving driver integrated circuit (IC) for driving the power device. The driving driver IC may include an overcurrent protection circuit and a short-circuit protection circuit. The power module 1942 may have a higher risk of burn-out damage due to high temperatures than other devices.

The power module temperature sensor 1944 may detect the temperature of the power module 1942. The power module temperature sensor 1944 may be provided within the power module 1942. The power module temperature sensor 1944 may also be provided on a side that is in contact with the power module 1942.

The power module 1942, the compressor 1910, and the power module temperature sensor 1944 may be located in the outdoor unit of the air conditioner 1000. The power module 1942 and the power module temperature sensor 1944 may be included in an inverter of the air conditioner 1000 that controls the compressor 1910.

The processor 1100 may determine a target frequency of the compressor 1910 based on a difference between an indoor temperature and a desired temperature. The processor 1100 may also determine the target frequency of the compressor 1910 based on an outside air temperature as well as the difference between the indoor temperature and the desired temperature.

The processor 1100 may obtain an outside air temperature via a temperature sensor. The air conditioner 1000 may include a temperature sensor for detecting an outside air temperature in the outdoor unit. The processor 1100 may obtain an upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature from the memory 1400.

The processor 1100 may increase a current being applied to the compressor 1910 according to the determined target frequency of the compressor 1910.

As the current applied to the compressor 1910 increases, a frequency of the compressor 1910 may increase, and according to the frequency of the compressor 1910 reaching the target frequency, the processor 1100 may maintain the current being applied to the compressor 1910.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, when the current being applied to the compressor 1910 is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature before the frequency of the compressor reaches the target frequency, the processor 1100 may not further increase the current being applied to the compressor but maintain the current below the upper limit current.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, when the current being applied to the compressor 1910 is limited by the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, based on the outside air temperature being higher than or equal to the reference temperature, the processor 1100 may increase the current being applied to the compressor 1910 to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on the detected temperature of the power module 1942. The processor 1100 may reduce the amount of increase in the current being applied to the compressor 1910 as the temperature of the power module 1942 increases.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, when the current being applied to the compressor 1910 is limited by the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, based on the outside air temperature being higher than or equal to the reference temperature, the processor 1100 may increase the current being applied to the compressor 1910 to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on the temperature of the power module 1942 and an indoor air volume set in the air conditioner 1000. The higher the temperature of the power module 1942 and the lower the indoor air volume, the less the processor 1100 may increase the current being applied to the compressor 1910.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, when the current being applied to the compressor 1910 is limited by the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, based on the outside air temperature being greater than or equal to the reference temperature, the processor 1100 may determine a target current based on the upper limit current, the temperature of the power module 1942, the indoor air volume set in the air conditioner 1000, and the outside air temperature, and increase the current being applied to the compressor 1910 to greater than or equal to the upper limit current up to the determined target current.

FIG. 3 illustrates a graph of an upper limit current with respect to an outside air temperature stored in an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 3, the air conditioner 1000 may store an upper limit current value according to an outside air temperature. The upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature may be a maximum value of a current at which the air conditioner 1000 is operable at a predetermined efficiency under a predetermined condition corresponding to one outside air temperature, or a value obtained by subtracting a predetermined margin value from the maximum value. The predetermined condition may be the worst condition under which the outdoor unit may be placed at the one outside air temperature. The predetermined efficiency may be 100% of the rated nominal performance of the air conditioner 1000, and may be 95% or 110% thereof, but is not limited thereto.

An upper limit current value according to an outside air temperature may tend to decrease as the outside air temperature increases. As the outside air temperature increases, the temperature of components inside the outdoor unit may increase, and when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to a particular temperature, an upper limit of a current being applied to the components may decrease as the temperature of the components increases.

Referring to a graph 310 of FIG. 3, an upper limit current may be a first current value in an interval where the outside air temperature is lower than 30° C. In an interval where the outside air temperature is between 30° C. and 50° C., the upper limit current may decrease from the first current value to a second current value as the outside air temperature increases. In an interval where the outside air temperature is 50° C. or higher, the upper limit current may be the second current value.

An upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature may be experimentally determined.

When a current being applied to a compressor reaches a threshold current 320 I_trip, the air conditioner 1000 may stop a cooling operation by not applying the current to the compressor. The threshold current 320 may be determined based on the possibility of damage to components in the air conditioner 1000.

The air conditioner 1000 may improve cooling performance at high temperatures by not limiting the current being applied to the compressor at high temperatures to an upper limit current but increasing the current up to the threshold current 320 based on an actual temperature of a power module.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method, performed by an air conditioner, of determining a target current to be applied to a compressor by taking into account a temperature of a power module, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 4, in operation S410, an air conditioner 1000 may detect a temperature of the power module.

The air conditioner 1000 may detect the temperature of the power module via a power module temperature sensor in the power module. The air conditioner 1000 may periodically detect the temperature of the power module via the power module temperature sensor regardless of an outside air temperature. The air conditioner 1000 may periodically detect the temperature of the power module via the power module temperature sensor when an outside air temperature exceeds a reference temperature.

In operation S420, the air conditioner 1000 may determine whether a current of the compressor corresponding to a target frequency of the compressor is greater than or equal to an upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature.

The air conditioner 1000 may determine a target frequency of the compressor. The air conditioner 1000 may determine a target frequency of the compressor based on a difference between an indoor temperature and a desired temperature. The air conditioner 1000 may increase the target frequency of the compressor as the difference between the indoor temperature and the desired temperature increases. The air conditioner 1000 may also determine the target frequency of the compressor, based on the difference between the indoor temperature and the desired temperature and the outside air temperature.

The air conditioner 1000 may determine whether a current of the compressor corresponding to the determined target frequency of the compressor is greater than or equal to an upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature.

For example, the air conditioner 1000 may calculate a current to be applied to the compressor based on the target frequency of the compressor. The air conditioner 1000 may determine whether the calculated current is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature.

For example, the air conditioner 1000 may increase the current being applied to the compressor according to the determined target frequency of the compressor. As the current being applied to the compressor increases, a frequency of the compressor may increase, and when the frequency of the compressor reaches the target frequency, the air conditioner 1000 may maintain the current being applied to the compressor. When the current being applied to the compressor exceeds the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature before the frequency of the compressor reaches the target frequency, the air conditioner 1000 may determine that the current to be applied to the compressor is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature.

In operation S430, based on determining that the current of the compressor is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, the air conditioner 1000 may limit the current being applied to the compressor to below the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature when the outside air temperature is lower than a reference temperature, and increase the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on the detected temperature of the power module when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature.

While operating in a control mode limiting the current to less than the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature without considering the temperature of the power module, the air conditioner 1000 may, when an entry condition is satisfied, change the control mode to a current limit release mode in which the current is increased to greater than or equal to the upper limit current by considering the temperature of the power module.

The entry condition for the current limit release mode may be a condition in which the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature. The reference temperature may be preset in the air conditioner 1000.

When the outside air temperature is lower than the reference temperature, the air conditioner 1000 may maintain the current being applied to the compressor at the upper limit current based on determining that the current to be applied to the compressor is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature.

When the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature, based on determining that the current to be applied to the compressor is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, the air conditioner 1000 may increase the current to be applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on the detected temperature of the power module. For example, the air conditioner 1000 may increase the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current, but the higher the temperature of the power module, the lower the amount of increase in the current being applied to the compressor.

The air conditioner 1000 may increase the current being applied to the compressor by taking into account not only the temperature of the power module but also an indoor air volume set in the air conditioner 1000. In this case, the higher the detected temperature of the power module and the lower the set indoor air volume, the less the air conditioner 1000 may increase the current being applied to the compressor.

The air conditioner 1000 may increase the current being applied to the compressor by taking into account not only the temperature of the power module and the indoor air volume but also an outside air temperature.

The entry condition for the current limit release mode may be a condition in which the outdoor air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature and an RPM of an outdoor fan is a predetermined maximum RPM. The RPM of the outdoor fan may increase as the outside air temperature increases and exhibit a maximum value when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to a critical temperature. Accordingly, when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature and higher than or equal to the critical temperature, the air conditioner 1000 may change the control mode to the current limit release mode in which the current is increased to greater than or equal to the upper limit current by considering the temperature of the power module.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the entry condition for the current limit release mode may be that, when the current being applied to the compressor is limited to less than the upper limit current, the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature, and a user input for entering the current limit release mode is received. The user input for entering the current limit release mode may be, for example, an input for lowering a desired temperature. The user input for entering the current limit release mode may be, for example, a user input for selecting the current limit release mode via a user interface for entering the current limit release mode.

FIG. 5 illustrates a method, performed by an air conditioner of determining a target current based on a temperature of a power module, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 5, the air conditioner 1000 may determine a target current such that the amount of increase from an upper limit current becomes smaller as the temperature of the power module increases.

Target ⁢ current = C 1 * f 1 ( outside ⁢ air ⁢ temperature ) + C 2 * f 2 ( power ⁢ module ⁢ temperature ) Equation ⁢ 1

The air conditioner 1000 may calculate the target current based on Equation 1.

f₁ (outside air temperature) is a function representing an upper limit current according to an outside air temperature. C₁ is a coefficient for an upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature. C₁ may be 1, or a value close to 1.

f₂ (power module temperature) is a function representing a current increase rate based on a temperature of the power module. C₂ is a coefficient for the current increase rate based on the temperature of the power module.

Table 1 is an example of the function f₂ (power module temperature). As shown in Table 1, the function f₂ may decrease as the temperature of the power module increases. Accordingly, the higher the temperature of the power module, the less the amount of increase in the target current.

	TABLE 1
	f2(power module temperature)	Power module temperature
	5	40° C. to 50° C.
	4	51° C. to 60° C.
	3	61° C. to 70° C.
	2	71° C. to 80° C.
	1	81° C. to 85° C.
	0	86° C. or higher

C₁ and C₂ may be changed according to a model of the air conditioner 1000.

Referring to a graph of FIG. 5, when the outside air temperature is 40° C., C₁ is 1, and the temperature of the IPM that is the power module is 55° C., the target current may be an upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature of 40° C. plus C₂*4 (target current 1 in FIG. 5). When the outside air temperature is 40° C. and the temperature of the IPM that is the power module increases from 55° C. to 65° C., the target current may be reduced to the upper limit current corresponding to 40° C. plus C₂*3 (target current 2 in FIG. 5).

FIG. 6 illustrates a method, performed by an air conditioner of determining a target current based on a temperature of a power module and an indoor air volume, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 6, the air conditioner 1000 may determine a target current such that the amount of increase in current becomes smaller as the indoor air volume decreases.

Target ⁢ current = C 1 * f 1 ( outside ⁢ air ⁢ temperature ) + C 2 * f 2 ( power ⁢ module ⁢ temperature ) + C 3 * f 3 ( indoor ⁢ air ⁢ volume ) Equation ⁢ 2

The air conditioner 1000 may calculate a target current based on Equation (2).

C₁*f₁ (outside air temperature) and C₂*f₂ (power module temperature) may be described with reference to the description of Equation 1 in FIG. 5. f₃ (indoor air volume) is a function representing a current increase rate based on an indoor air volume. C₃ is a coefficient for the current increase rate based on the indoor air volume.

Table 2 is an example of the function f₃ (indoor air volume). As shown in Table 2, the function f₃ may increase as the indoor air volume becomes higher. Accordingly, the higher the indoor air volume, the greater the amount of increase in the target current.

	TABLE 2
	f3(indoor air volume)	Indoor air volume
	3	strong wind
	2	weak wind
	1	light wind/no wind

Referring to a graph of FIG. 6, when the outside air temperature is 40° C., C₁ is 1, the temperature of the IPM is 50° C., and the indoor air volume corresponds to a weak wind, the target current may be an upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature of 40° C. and the IPM temperature of 50° C. plus C₃*2 (target current 3 in FIG. 6). As the indoor air volume increases to produce a strong airflow (wind), the target current may be increased to an upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature of 40° C. and the IPM temperature of 50° C. plus C3*3 (target current 3 in FIG. 6).

The user tends to set the indoor air volume higher when he or she doesn't feel cool. Therefore, the higher the indoor air volume, the lower the perceived cooling temperature that may be achieved by increasing the target current.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the air conditioner 1000 may determine the target current based on the outside air temperature in addition to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, the temperature of the power module, and the indoor air volume.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method, performed by an air conditioner of determining whether to increase a current to greater than or equal to an upper limit current according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 7, in operation S710, the air conditioner 1000 may perform a cooling operation.

The air conditioner 1000 may receive a user input for setting a desired temperature. Based on receiving a user input for turning on the air conditioner 1000, the air conditioner 1000 may set a default desired temperature to a desired temperature for the air conditioner 1000.

The air conditioner 1000 may determine a target frequency of the compressor based on a difference between the desired temperature set in the air conditioner 1000 and an indoor temperature. The air conditioner 1000 may lower the indoor temperature to the desired temperature by applying a current corresponding to the target frequency to the compressor.

The air conditioner 1000 may increase or decrease a frequency of the compressor to the target frequency by increasing or decreasing a current being applied to the compressor.

The air conditioner 1000 may detect a current value being applied to the compressor via a current sensor. The air conditioner 1000 may detect an outside air temperature via a temperature sensor for an outside air temperature provided in the outdoor unit. The air conditioner 1000 may detect a temperature of the power module via a power module temperature sensor. The air conditioner 1000 may obtain a set indoor air volume.

In operation S720, the air conditioner 1000 may determine whether an RPM of the outdoor fan is greater than or equal to a maximum RPM and whether the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to a reference temperature.

An entry condition for entering a current limit release mode in which the current is increased to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on the temperature of the power module may be a condition that the RPM of the outdoor fan is greater or equal to the maximum RPM and the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature.

The air conditioner 1000 may determine whether the RPM of the outdoor fan is greater than or equal to a predetermined maximum RPM. The outdoor fan may rotate at the maximum RPM when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to a critical temperature.

The air conditioner 1000 may determine whether the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature. The reference temperature may be preset and stored in the air conditioner 1000. The reference temperature may also be selected by a user within a preset range.

Based on the RPM of the outdoor fan being greater than or equal to the maximum RPM and the outside air temperature being greater than the reference temperature in operation S720, in operation S730, when the current being applied to the compressor exceeds the upper limit current, the air conditioner 1000 may increase the current to greater than or equal to an upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, based on the temperature of the power module.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the air conditioner 1000 may increase the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current, but the higher the temperature of the power module, the lower the amount of increase in the current being applied to the compressor.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the air conditioner 1000 may increase the current being applied to the compressor based on an indoor air volume set in the air conditioner 1000, as well as the temperature of the power module. In this case, the higher the detected temperature of the power module and the lower the set indoor air volume, the air conditioner 1000 may reduce the amount of increase in the current being applied to the compressor.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the air conditioner 1000 may increase the current being applied to the compressor by taking into account the outside air temperature, as well as the temperature of the power module and the indoor air volume.

Operation S730 may be described with reference to operation S430 of FIG. 4.

Based on the RPM of the outdoor fan not being greater than or equal to the maximum RPM or the outside air temperature not being higher than or equal to the reference temperature in operation 720, the air conditioner 1000 may limit the current to below the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature in operation S740.

When the RPM of the outdoor fan is not greater than or equal to the maximum RPM or the outside air temperature is not greater than or equal to the reference temperature, the air conditioner 1000 may limit the current being applied to the compressor to below the upper limit current so that the current corresponding to the target frequency does not exceed the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method, performed by an air conditioner of determining whether to increase a current to greater than or equal to an upper limit current based on a user input, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 8, in operation S810, the air conditioner 1000 may perform a cooling operation.

Operation S810 may be described with reference to operation S710 of FIG. 7.

In operation S820, the air conditioner 1000 may determine whether an outside air temperature is greater than or equal to a reference temperature and whether a current currently being applied is limited by an upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature.

The air conditioner 1000 may determine whether the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature.

The air conditioner 1000 may detect the current being applied when a frequency of the compressor reaches a target frequency of the compressor. The air conditioner 1000 may determine whether the detected current of the compressor is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature.

Based on determining that the detected current of the compressor being greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, the air conditioner 1000 may limit a current being applied to the compressor to less than the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, and determine that the current currently being applied is limited by the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature.

Based on the current of the compressor corresponding to the target frequency becoming less than and equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature due to a decrease in the target frequency, the air conditioner 1000 may determine that the current currently being applied is not limited by the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature.

In operation S830, the air conditioner 1000 may receive a user input for entering a current limit release mode.

The current limit release mode may refer to a control mode in which the current is increased to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on a temperature of the power module when the current corresponding to the target frequency is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature.

When the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature and the current currently being applied is limited by the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, the air conditioner 1000 may receive a user input for entering the current limit release mode.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the user input for entering the current limit release mode may be a user input for pressing a predetermined button corresponding to the current limit release mode.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the user input for entering the current limit release mode may be an input by the user to lower a desired temperature. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the user input for entering the current limit release mode may be an input for increasing an air volume.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature and the current currently being applied is limited by the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, the air conditioner 1000 may display a user interface for entering the current limit release mode on a display of the air conditioner 1000 or on a user device connected to the air conditioner 1000 via a server. The user interface for entering the current limit release mode may include a user interface for increasing a cooling speed. The air conditioner 1000 may receive a user input for selecting the current limit release mode via the user interface for entering the current limit release mode.

In operation S840, the air conditioner 1000 may increase the current to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on a temperature of the power module.

When the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature and the current currently being applied is limited by the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, in response to receiving the user input for entering the current limit release mode, the air conditioner 1000 may increase the current to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on the temperature of the power module.

When a current currently being applied is limited by an upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature, the cooling performance may be limited even though the outside air temperature is high. By increasing the current to greater than or equal to the upper limit current when a user input for entering a current limit release mode is received, the cooling performance may be increased according to a user's intention despite a slight reduction in cooling efficiency.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, when an outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature, and a rate at which an indoor temperature drops to a desired temperature is less than a reference rate because the current currently being applied is limited by an upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, the air conditioner 1000 may increase the current to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on the temperature of the power module.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 9, the air conditioner 1000 may include the processor 1100, an output module 1300, the memory 1400, a communication module 1500, a sensor unit 1600, an input interface 1700, an indoor module 1800, and an outdoor module 1900. The same reference numerals are assigned to components that are the same as those shown in FIG. 2.

However, all of the components shown in FIG. 9 are not essential components of the air conditioner 1000. The air conditioner 1000 may be implemented by more components than those shown in FIG. 9, or implemented by fewer components than those shown in FIG. 9.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the processor 1100, the output module 1300, the memory 1400, the communication module 1500, the sensor unit 1600, and the input interface 1700 may each be configured as a plurality of elements and may be provided in at least one of the indoor module 1800 or the outdoor module 1900.

The processor 1100 may control all operations of the air conditioner 1000. The processor 1100 may execute at least one instruction or programs stored in the memory 1400 to control the output module 1300, the communication module 1500, the sensor unit 1600, the input interface 1700, the indoor module 1800, and the outdoor module 1900.

The processor 1100 may include a separate neural processing unit (NPU) that performs operations of a machine learning model. Additionally, the processor 1100 may include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or the like.

The memory 1400 stores various pieces of information, data, instructions, programs, or the like, necessary for the operations of the air conditioner 1000. The memory 1400 may include at least one of volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or a combination thereof. The memory 1400 may include at least one type of storage medium, i.e., at least one of flash memory-type memory, hard disk-type memory, multimedia card micro-type memory, card-type memory (e.g., a secure digital (SD) card or extreme digital (xD) memory), random access memory (RAM), static RAM (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), PROM, magnetic memory, a magnetic disc, or an optical disc. In addition, the air conditioner 1000 may operate a web storage (not shown) or cloud server (not shown) that performs a storage function on the Internet.

The at least one processor 1100 and the at least one memory 1400 may be included in one controller unit. For example, the at least one processor 1100 and the at least one memory 1400 may be included in one microcontroller unit (MCU).

The communication module 1500 may, based on control by the processor 1100, transmit and receive information to and from an external device (not shown) or external server according to a protocol. The communication module 1500 may include at least one communication module and at least one port for transmitting and receiving data to and from the external device.

Furthermore, the communication module 1500 may communicate with the external device via at least one wired or wireless communication network. The communication module 1500 may include at least one of a short-range communication module or a long-range communication module, or a combination thereof. The communication module 1500 may include at least one antenna for wirelessly communicating with other devices.

The short-range communication module may include at least one communication module (not shown) that performs communication according to a communication standard, such as Bluetooth™, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth low energy (BLE), near field communication (NFC)/radio frequency identification (RFID), a Wi-Fi Direct (WFD), ultra-wideband (UWB), infrared (IR) communication, ZigBee, or the like. Furthermore, the long-range communication module may include a communication module (not shown) that performs communication via a network for Internet communication. Further, the long-range communication module may include a mobile communication module that performs communications in accordance with a communication standard, such as 3rd generation (3G), 4th generation (4G), 5th generation (5G), and/or 6th generation (6G).

The output module 1300 may include a display 1310 and an audio output module 1320.

The display 1310 may, according to control by the processor 1100, output image data that has undergone image processing by an image processor (not shown) via a display panel (not shown). The display panel may include at least one of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor LCD (TFT-LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a flexible display, a three-dimensional (3D) display, or an electrophoretic display.

The audio output module 1320 may output a sound signal to the outside of the air conditioner 1000. The audio output module 1320 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker may be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback.

The input interface 1700 may receive a user input for controlling the air conditioner 1000. The input interface 1700 receives a user input and transmits the user input to the processor 1100.

The input interface 1700 may include, but is not limited to, user input devices including a touch panel that detects a user's touch, a button that receives a push manipulation by the user, a wheel that receives a rotation manipulation by the user, a key board, and a dome switch.

Furthermore, the input interface 1700 may include a voice recognition device for voice recognition. For example, the voice recognition device may be a microphone 1710, and the voice recognition device may receive a user's voice command or voice request. Accordingly, the processor 1100 may control an operation corresponding to the voice command or voice request to be performed.

In addition, the input interface 1700 may include a remote control receiver 1720 capable of receiving a control command from a remote controller located in a close vicinity. The remote control receiver 1720 may include an IR communication module, or the like.

The indoor module 1800 may include an indoor fan motor 1810 for rotating an indoor fan and an indoor heat exchanger 1820. Furthermore, the outdoor module 1900 may include the compressor 1910, an outdoor heat exchanger 1920, an outdoor fan motor 1930, and an inverter 1940.

The compressor 1910 may increase a pressure of a refrigerant by reducing a volume of the refrigerant. The higher the frequency of the compressor 1910, the higher the pressure of the refrigerant. The frequency of the compressor 1910 may be controlled by the power module 1942.

When the air conditioner 1000 operates in a cooling mode, a refrigerant compressed to a high temperature and a high pressure by the compressor 1910 circulates through a refrigeration cycle in the air conditioner 1000 and absorbs heat via the indoor heat exchanger 1820, thereby cooling the air around the indoor heat exchanger 1820. In this case, the indoor heat exchanger 1820 may be referred to as an evaporator. In addition, the refrigerant that has absorbed the heat may release the heat in the outdoor heat exchanger 1920. In this case, the outdoor heat exchanger 1920 may be referred to as a condenser.

Furthermore, the indoor fan motor 1810 may rotate an indoor fan (not shown) to discharge the air cooled by the indoor heat exchanger 1820 to the outside of the air conditioner 1000. A rotation speed (i.e., an RPM) of the indoor fan motor 1810 may be adjusted according to control by the processor 1100.

Furthermore, the indoor module 1800 may further include a blade (not shown). The air conditioner 1000 may change a direction of wind discharge up and down or left and right by moving the blade.

The outdoor fan motor 1930 may discharge air heated by the outdoor heat exchanger 1920 to the outside.

The inverter 1940 may control a rotational frequency of a motor in the compressor 1910 (or a compressor motor) based on a control signal. For example, the inverter 1940 may control the rotational frequency of the motor in the compressor 1910 by changing a frequency and a magnitude of a voltage applied to the motor based on the control signal.

The inverter 1940 may include the power module 1942 and the power module temperature sensor 1944.

The power module 1942 may include a power device, and may change a rotational frequency of the compressor motor connected to the power device by changing a switching frequency of the power device according to a control signal. The power module 1942 may include a power device, such as an IGBT or a MOSFET. The power module 1942 may include a driving driver IC for driving the power device. The driving driver IC may include an overcurrent protection circuit and a short-circuit protection circuit. The power module 1942 may have a higher risk of burn-out damage due to high temperatures than other devices.

The power module temperature sensor 1944 may detect a temperature of the power module 1942. The power module temperature sensor 1944 may be provided within the power module 1942. The power module temperature sensor 1944 may also be provided on a side that is in contact with the power module 1942.

The sensor unit 1600 may include various types of sensors.

The sensor unit 1600 may include a temperature sensor 1610, a pressure sensor 1620, and a humidity sensor 1630.

The air conditioner 1000 may include a plurality of temperature sensors 1610 and a plurality of pressure sensors 1620.

For example, the plurality of temperature sensors 1610 may include, but are not limited to, a temperature sensor provided on a panel of the air conditioner 1000 to detect an indoor temperature, a temperature sensor provided in an outdoor unit to detect an outside air temperature, and a temperature sensor provided in a compressor.

The humidity sensor 1630 may detect humidity in indoor air.

The memory 1400 may store one or more computer programs. The one or more programs may include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors 1100, individually or collectively, cause the air conditioner 1000 to perform the following operations.

The at least one processor 1100 may determine whether a current of the compressor 1910 corresponding to a target frequency of the compressor 1910 is greater than or equal to an upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature.

Based on determining that the current of the compressor 1910 is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, when the outside air temperature is lower than a reference temperature, the at least one processor 1100 may limit a current being applied to the compressor 1910 to less than the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature.

Based on determining that the current of the compressor 1910 is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature, the at least one processor 1100 may increase the current being applied to the compressor 1910 to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on a detected temperature of the power module 1942.

The at least one processor 1100 may reduce an amount of increase in the current being applied to the compressor 1910 as the temperature of the power module 1942 increases.

The at least one processor 1100 may obtain information about an amount of increase in the current corresponding to each of a plurality of temperature intervals of the power module.

The at least one processor 1100 may increase the current being applied to the compressor 1910 to greater than or equal to the upper limit current, based on information about an amount of increase in the current corresponding to a temperature interval in which the detected temperature of the power module falls among the plurality of temperature intervals.

As the detected temperature of the power module increases and an indoor air volume set in the air conditioner 1000 decreases the at least one processor 1100 may reduce the amount of increase in the current being applied to the compressor 1910.

The at least one processor 1100 may determine a target current to be applied to the compressor 1910, based on the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, the detected temperature of the power module 1942, the indoor air volume set in the air conditioner 1000, and the outside air temperature.

The at least one processor 1100 may increase the current being applied to the compressor 1910 according to the determined target current.

The at least one processor 1100 may increase the current being applied to the compressor 1910 to greater than or equal to the upper limit current when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature and an RPM of the outdoor fan of the air conditioner 1000 is a predetermined maximum value.

When the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature and the current being applied to the compressor 1910 is limited to less than the upper limit current, the at least one processor 1100 may increase the current to greater than or equal to the upper limit current in response to receiving a user input. The user input may include a user input for lowering a desired temperature set in the air conditioner 1000.

When the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature and the current being applied to the compressor 1910 is limited to less than the upper limit current, the at least one processor 1100 may display a user interface for increasing a cooling speed.

The at least one processor 1100 may receive a user input for entering a current limit release mode via the user interface.

A machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. In this regard, the term ‘non-transitory’ only means that the storage medium does not include a signal (e.g., an electromagnetic wave) and is a tangible device, and the term does not differentiate between where data is semi-permanently stored in the storage medium and where the data is temporarily stored in the storage medium. For example, the ‘non-transitory storage medium’ may include a buffer in which data is temporarily stored.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, methods according to various embodiments of the disclosure set forth herein may be included in a computer program product when provided. The computer program product may be traded, as a product, between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc-ROM (CD-ROM)) or distributed (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) on-line via an application store or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). For online distribution, at least a part of the computer program product (e.g., a downloadable app) may be at least transiently stored or temporally generated in the machine-readable storage medium, such as memory of a server of a manufacturer, a server of an application store, or a relay server.

It will be appreciated that various embodiments of the disclosure according to the claims and description in the specification can be realized in the form of hardware, software or a combination of hardware and software.

Any such software may be stored in non-transitory computer readable storage media. The non-transitory computer readable storage media store one or more computer programs (software modules), the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform a method of the disclosure.

Any such software may be stored in the form of volatile or non-volatile storage, such as, for example, a storage device like read only memory (ROM), whether erasable or rewritable or not, or in the form of memory, such as, for example, random access memory (RAM), memory chips, device or integrated circuits or on an optically or magnetically readable medium, such as, for example, a compact disk (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), magnetic disk or magnetic tape or the like. It will be appreciated that the storage devices and storage media are various embodiments of non-transitory machine-readable storage that are suitable for storing a computer program or computer programs comprising instructions that, when executed, implement various embodiments of the disclosure. Accordingly, various embodiments provide a program comprising code for implementing apparatus or a method as claimed in any one of the claims of this specification and a non-transitory machine-readable storage storing such a program.

While the disclosure has been shown and described with reference to various embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.