ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of International Application No. PCT/KR2024/007504, filed on May 31, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Receiving Office, and claiming priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0080492 filed Jun. 22, 2023, the disclosures of which are all hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Certain example embodiments may relate to an electronic apparatus and/or a control method therefor, and for example, to an electronic apparatus that controls an air conditioner, and/or a control method therefor.

BACKGROUND ART

An air conditioner may refer to an apparatus that cools and/or heats air by using heat transfer generated by the evaporation and condensation of a refrigerant, and discharges cooled and/or heated air to condition indoor air. The air conditioner may cool or heat an indoor space by circulating the refrigerant through a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, and an outdoor heat exchanger during a cooling operation or a heating operation, and/or by discharging heat-exchanged air from the indoor heat exchanger into the indoor space.

The air conditioner may include an indoor controller that generates a contact signal, and a main controller may control cooling and heating based on the contact signal input from the indoor controller. However, a conventional main controller may control the air conditioner by using only the contact signal from the air conditioner, and may thus not employ a control method that improves energy efficiency.

SUMMARY

According to at least an example embodiment, there may be provided an electronic apparatus that may include: a first interface, comprising interface circuitry, configured to perform bidirectional communication with an indoor controller; a second interface, comprising interface circuitry, configured to provide a control signal to an indoor unit of the air conditioner via unidirectional communication; a memory storing at least one instruction; and at least one processor, comprising processing circuitry, connected, directly or indirectly, to the memory and configured to control the electronic apparatus, wherein the at least one processor may be individually and/or collectively configured to generate control information to be applied to the air conditioner based on received indoor temperature information and set temperature information if/when the indoor temperature information and the set temperature information are received from the indoor controller via the first interface, and control the second interface to provide the control signal corresponding to the generated control information to the indoor unit via at least the unidirectional communication.

According to at least an example embodiment, there may be provided a control method for an electronic apparatus, where the method may include: receiving indoor temperature information and set temperature information from an indoor controller via bidirectional communication; generating control information to be applied to the air conditioner based on the received indoor temperature information and set temperature information; and transmitting a control signal corresponding to the generated control information to an indoor unit of the air conditioner via unidirectional communication.

According to at least an example embodiment, there may be provided a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium including a program for executing a control method for an electronic apparatus, wherein the method may include receiving indoor temperature information and set temperature information from an indoor controller via bidirectional communication, generating control information to be applied to the air conditioner based on the received indoor temperature information and set temperature information, and transmitting a control signal corresponding to the generated control information to an indoor unit of the air conditioner via unidirectional communication.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a system diagram for describing an air conditioning system according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for describing components of an electronic apparatus according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for describing the interior of an electronic apparatus according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing communication between the electronic apparatus and an indoor controller, an outdoor unit, and/or an indoor unit according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for describing a control method for an electronic apparatus according to an example embodiment.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrams for describing a method by which the electronic apparatus determines an operation of an air conditioner according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for describing the control method for an electronic apparatus according to an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It should be understood that various embodiments of the present disclosure and terms used herein are not intended to limit technical features described in the present disclosure to specific embodiments, and rather are intended to include various modifications, equivalents, and substitutions of the corresponding embodiments.

Throughout the accompanying drawings, similar components are denoted by similar reference numerals.

A singular noun corresponding to an item is intended to include one or more of the items unless a relevant context clearly indicates otherwise.

In the present disclosure, an expression such as “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” “at least one of A or B,”, “A, B, or C”, “at least one of A, B, and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, or the like may include any one of the items listed together or all possible combinations thereof.

A term “and/or” includes a combination of a plurality of related items or any one of the plurality of related items.

Terms such as “first”, “second”, or the like may be used simply to distinguish one element and another element from each other, and do not limit the corresponding components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order).

If a component (for example, a first component) is mentioned to be “coupled with/to” or “connected to” another component (for example, a second component) with or without terms “operatively or communicatively”, it should be understood that the component may be directly coupled to another component (e.g., in a wired manner), in a wireless manner, or through at least a third component(s)). Thus, for example, these terms cover both direct and indirect connections.

It should be further understood that terms “include”, “have” or the like, used in the specification specify the presence of features, numerals, steps, operations, components, parts mentioned in the specification or combinations thereof, and do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numerals, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

If a component is referred to as being “connected,” “coupled,” “supported,” or “in contact” with another component, it includes not only a case where the components are directly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact with each other, but also a case where the components are indirectly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact with each other through a third component.

If a component is referred to be disposed “on” another component, it includes not only a case where the component is in contact with another component, but also a case where still another component is interposed between the two components.

FIG. 1 is a system diagram for describing an air conditioning system according to at least an example embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, an air conditioning system 1 according to at least an example embodiment may include an air conditioner 10, an indoor controller 20, and/or an electronic apparatus 100. In addition, the air conditioner 10 may include an outdoor unit 11 and/or an indoor unit 12.

The air conditioner 10 according to various embodiments refers to an apparatus that performs functions such as air purification, ventilation, humidity adjustment, cooling or heating in an air-conditioned space (hereinafter referred to as an “indoor space”), and refers to an apparatus having at least one of these functions.

According to an embodiment, the air conditioner 10 may include a heat pump apparatus to perform the cooling function or the heating function. The heat pump apparatus may include a refrigeration cycle in which a refrigerant is circulated along a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion apparatus, and a second heat exchanger. All components of the heat pump apparatus may be embedded in a single housing forming an exterior of the air conditioner 10, such as a window air conditioner or a portable air conditioner. On the other hand, some components of the heat pump apparatus may be embedded separately in a plurality of housings included in a single air conditioner 10, such as a wall-mounted air conditioner, a stand-alone air conditioner, or a system air conditioner.

The air conditioner 10 including the plurality of housings may include at least one outdoor unit 11 installed in an outdoor space and at least one indoor unit 12 installed in the indoor space. For example, the air conditioner 10 may include one outdoor unit 11 and one indoor unit 12 connected to each other through at least a refrigerant pipe. For example, the air conditioner 10 may include one outdoor unit 11 connected to two or more indoor units 12 through at least the refrigerant pipe. For example, the air conditioner 10 may include two or more outdoor units 11 and two or more indoor units 12 connected to each other through a plurality of refrigerant pipes.

The outdoor unit 11 may be electrically connected, directly or indirectly, to the indoor unit 12. For example, information (or a command) for controlling the air conditioner 10 may be input via an input interface disposed on the outdoor unit 11 or the indoor unit 12, and the outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12 may be operated simultaneously or sequentially in response to a user input.

The air conditioner 10 may include an outdoor heat exchanger disposed in the outdoor unit 11, an indoor heat exchanger disposed in the indoor unit 12, and the refrigerant pipe connecting the outdoor heat exchanger to the indoor heat exchanger. Thus, each of the indoor unit 12 and the outdoor unit 11 may comprise a heat exchanger.

The outdoor heat exchanger may perform heat exchange between the refrigerant and outdoor air by utilizing a phase change of the refrigerant (e.g., evaporation or condensation). For example, the refrigerant may release heat to outdoor air while the refrigerant condenses in the outdoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant may absorb heat from outdoor air while the refrigerant flowing in the outdoor heat exchanger evaporates.

The indoor unit 12 may be installed in the indoor space. For example, the indoor unit 12 may be classified into the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 12, the stand-alone indoor unit 12, the wall-mounted indoor unit 12, or the like based on an arrangement method. For example, the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 12 may be classified into a four-way type indoor unit 12, a one-way type indoor unit 12, a duct-type indoor unit 12, or the like based on an air discharge method.

Similarly, the indoor heat exchanger may perform heat exchange between the refrigerant and indoor air by utilizing the phase change of the refrigerant (for example, evaporation or condensation). For example, while the refrigerant evaporates in the indoor unit 12, the refrigerant may absorb heat from the indoor air, and the indoor space may be cooled by blowing indoor air cooled by passing through the cooled indoor heat exchanger. While the refrigerant condenses in the indoor heat exchanger, the refrigerant may release heat to indoor air, and the indoor space may be heated by blowing indoor air heated by passing through the high-temperature indoor heat exchanger.

That is, the air conditioner 10 may perform the cooling or heating function by using a phase change process of the refrigerant circulated between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger. For the refrigerant circulation, the air conditioner 10 may include the compressor for compressing the refrigerant. The compressor may intake a refrigerant gas through a suction part and compress the refrigerant gas. The compressor may discharge the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas through a discharge part. The compressor may be disposed inside the outdoor unit 11. Thus, the outdoor unit 11 may comprise a compressor.

The refrigerant may be circulated through the refrigerant pipe in an order of the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, the expansion apparatus, and the indoor heat exchanger, or in an order of the compressor, the indoor heat exchanger, the expansion apparatus, and the outdoor heat exchanger.

For example, the refrigerant may be circulated between one outdoor unit 11 and one indoor unit 12 through at least the refrigerant pipe if the air conditioner 10 has one outdoor unit 11 and one indoor unit 12 directly connected to each other through the refrigerant pipe.

For example, the refrigerant may flow into the plurality of indoor units 12 through the refrigerant pipe branched from the outdoor unit 11 if the air conditioner 10 has one outdoor unit 11 connected to two or more indoor units 12 through the refrigerant pipe. The refrigerants discharged from the plurality of indoor units 12 may be merged and circulated to the outdoor unit 11. For example, the plurality of indoor units 12 may be directly connected in parallel to one outdoor unit 11 through separate refrigerant pipes.

The plurality of indoor units 12 may each be operated independently based on an operation mode set by a user. That is, some of the plurality of indoor units 12 may be operated in a cooling mode while others may be operated in a heating mode simultaneously. Here, the refrigerant may be selectively introduced into each indoor unit 12 at a high or low pressure along a circulation path designated by a flow path switching valve described below, and discharged and circulated to the outdoor unit 11.

For example, if the air conditioner 10 has two or more outdoor units 11 and two or more indoor units 12 connected, directly or indirectly, to each other through at least the plurality of refrigerant pipes, the refrigerants discharged from the plurality of outdoor units 11 may be merged and flow through one refrigerant pipe, and then be branched again at a certain point and introduced to the plurality of indoor units 12.

All of the plurality of outdoor units 11 may be driven, or at least some thereof may not be driven, depending on an operation load of the plurality of indoor units 12 that is determined based on their operation capacities. In this case, the refrigerant may be introduced and circulated to the outdoor unit 11, which is selectively driven by the flow path switching valve. The air conditioner 10 may include the expansion apparatus to reduce a pressure of the refrigerant introduced to the heat exchanger. For example, the expansion apparatus may be disposed inside either the indoor unit 12 or the outdoor unit 11, or may be disposed in each of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit.

The expansion apparatus may reduce the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant by using a throttling effect, for example. The expansion apparatus may include an orifice capable of reducing a cross-sectional area of a flow path. The refrigerant passing through the orifice may have its temperature and pressure reduced.

The expansion apparatus may be implemented as, for example, an electronic expansion valve capable of adjusting an opening ratio (a ratio of the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the valve in a partially open state to the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the valve in a fully open state). An amount of refrigerant passing through the expansion apparatus may be controlled depending on the opening ratio of the electronic expansion valve.

The air conditioner 10 may further include the flow path switching valve disposed on a refrigerant circulation path. The flow path switching valve may include, for example, a four-way valve. The flow path switching valve may determine the refrigerant circulation path depending on the operation mode of the indoor unit 12 (e.g., the cooling operation or the heating operation). The flow path switching valve may be connected to the discharge part of the compressor.

The air conditioner 10 may include an accumulator. The accumulator may be connected, directly or indirectly, to the suction part of the compressor. The low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant evaporated from the indoor heat exchanger or the outdoor heat exchanger may be introduced into the accumulator.

The accumulator may separate a liquid refrigerant from the refrigerant gas if the refrigerant, which is a mixture of the liquid refrigerant and the refrigerant gas, is introduced into the accumulator, and provide the refrigerant gas, from which the liquid refrigerant is separated, to the compressor.

An outdoor fan may be disposed near the outdoor heat exchanger. The outdoor fan may blow outdoor air toward the outdoor heat exchanger to promote the heat exchange between the refrigerant and outdoor air.

The outdoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 10 may include at least one sensor. For example, the sensor of the outdoor unit 11 may be an environmental sensor. The sensor of the outdoor unit 11 may be disposed at any position inside or outside the outdoor unit 11. For example, the sensor of the outdoor unit 11 may include, for example, a temperature sensor for detecting an air temperature around the outdoor unit 11, a humidity sensor for detecting an air humidity around the outdoor unit 11, a refrigerant temperature sensor for detecting a refrigerant temperature in the refrigerant pipe passing through the outdoor unit 11, or a refrigerant pressure sensor for detecting a refrigerant pressure in the refrigerant pipe passing through the outdoor unit 11.

The outdoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 10 may include a communication unit of the outdoor unit 11. The communication unit of the outdoor unit 11 may receive a control signal from a control unit of the indoor unit 12 included in the air conditioner 10 described below. The outdoor unit 11 may control an operation of the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, the expansion apparatus, the flow path switching valve, the accumulator, or the outdoor fan based on the control signal received via the communication unit of the outdoor unit 11. The outdoor unit 11 may transmit a sensing value detected by the sensor of the outdoor unit 11 to the control unit of the indoor unit 12 via the communication unit of the outdoor unit 11.

The indoor unit 12 of the air conditioner 10 may include a housing, a blower for circulating air into or out of the housing, and the indoor heat exchanger for exchanging heat with air introduced into the housing.

The housing may include a suction port. Through the suction port, indoor air may be introduced into the housing.

The indoor unit 12 of the air conditioner 10 may include a filter for filtering out a foreign material in air introduced into the housing through the suction port.

The housing may include a discharge port. Air flowing inside the housing may be discharged to the outside of the housing through the discharge port.

The housing of the indoor unit 12 may include an airflow guide that guides a direction of air discharged through the discharge port. For example, the airflow guide may include a blade disposed on the discharge port. For example, the airflow guide may include an auxiliary fan for adjusting the discharged airflow. The present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the airflow guide may be omitted.

Inside the housing of the indoor unit 12, the indoor heat exchanger and the blower may be disposed on a flow path connecting the suction port to the discharge port.

The blower may include an indoor fan and a fan motor. For example, the indoor fan may include an axial fan, a diffusion fan, a crossflow fan, or a centrifugal fan.

The indoor heat exchanger may be disposed between the blower and the discharge port, or between the suction port and the blower. The indoor heat exchanger may absorb heat from air introduced through the suction port, or transfer heat to air introduced through the suction port. The indoor heat exchanger may include a heat exchange tube through which the refrigerant flows, and a heat exchange fin in contact with the heat exchange tube to increase a heat transfer area.

The indoor unit 12 of the air conditioner 10 may include a drain tray disposed below the indoor heat exchanger to collect condensate occurring in the indoor heat exchanger. Condensate accommodated in the drain tray may be drained to the outside through a drain hose. The drain tray may support the indoor heat exchanger.

The indoor unit 12 of the air conditioner 10 may include the input interface. The input interface may include any type of user input members including a button, a switch, a touchscreen, and/or a touch pad. The user may directly input setting data (e.g., a desired indoor temperature, an operation mode setting for cooling/heating/dehumidification/air purification, a discharge port selection setting, and/or an air volume setting) via the input interface.

The input interface may be connected to an external input device. For example, the input interface may be electrically connected, directly or indirectly, to a wired remote controller. The wired remote controller may be installed at a specific position in the indoor space (e.g., a portion of a wall surface). The user may input the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 by manipulating the wired remote controller. An electrical signal corresponding to the setting data obtained through the wired remote controller may be transmitted to the input interface. In addition, the input interface may include an infrared sensor. The user may remotely input the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 by using a wireless remote controller. The setting data input through the wireless remote controller may be transmitted to the input interface as an infrared signal.

In addition, the input interface may include a microphone. A user voice command may be obtained through the microphone. The microphone may convert the user voice command into the electrical signal and transmit the converted electrical signal to the control unit of the indoor unit 12. The control unit of the indoor unit 12 may control the components of the air conditioner 10 to execute a function corresponding to the user voice command. The setting data (e.g., the desired indoor temperature, the operation mode setting for cooling/heating/dehumidification/air purification, the discharge port selection setting, and/or the air volume setting) obtained via the input interface may be transmitted to the control unit of the indoor unit 12 as described below. For example, the setting data obtained via the input interface may be transmitted externally, e.g., to the outdoor unit 11 or a server, via a communication unit of the indoor unit 12 as described below.

The indoor unit 12 of the air conditioner 10 may include a power module. The power module may be connected to an external power source to supply power to the components of the indoor unit 12. Each “module”herein may comprise circuitry.

The indoor unit 12 of the air conditioner 10 may include a sensor of the indoor unit 12. The sensor of the indoor unit 12 may be the environmental sensor disposed in a space inside or outside the housing. For example, the sensor of the indoor unit 12 may include at least one temperature sensor and/or humidity sensor disposed in a predetermined space inside or outside the housing of the indoor unit 12. For example, the sensor of the indoor unit 12 may include the refrigerant temperature sensor for detecting the refrigerant temperature in the refrigerant pipe passing through the indoor unit 12. For example, the sensor of the indoor unit 12 may include each of the refrigerant temperature sensors for detecting the inlet, middle, and/or outlet temperatures in the refrigerant pipe passing through the indoor heat exchanger.

For example, each environmental data detected by the sensor of the indoor unit 12 may be transmitted to the control unit of the indoor unit 12 described below, or transmitted externally via the communication unit of the indoor unit 12 as described below.

The indoor unit 12 of the air conditioner 10 may include the communication unit of the indoor unit 12. The communication unit of the indoor unit 12 may include at least one of a short-range communication module or a long-range communication module. The communication unit of the indoor unit 12 may include at least one antenna for communicating with another device in a wireless manner. The outdoor unit 11 may include the communication unit of the outdoor unit 11. The communication unit of the outdoor unit 11 may also include at least one of a short-range communication module or a long-range communication module. Each communication unit herein may comprise communication circuitry.

The short-range communication module (or a short-range wireless communication module) may include a Bluetooth communication module, a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication module, a near-field communication module, a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication module, a Zigbee communication module, an infrared data association (IrDA) communication module, a Wi-Fi direct (WFD) communication module, a ultrawideband (UWB) communication module, an Ant+ communication module, a microwave (uWave) communication module, or the like, and is not limited thereto.

The long-range communication module may include a communication module that performs various types of long-range communication and may include a mobile communication unit. The mobile communication unit may transmit and receive a wireless signal to and from at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and the server via a mobile communication network.

The communication unit of the indoor unit 12 may communicate with an external device such as the server, a mobile device, or another home appliance via a surrounding access point (AP). The access point (AP) may connect a local area network (LAN) to which the air conditioner 10 or a user device is connected to a wide area network (WAN) to which the server is connected. The air conditioner 10 or the user device may be connected to the server via the wide area network (WAN). The indoor unit 12 of the air conditioner 10 may include the control unit of the indoor unit 12 that controls the components of the indoor unit 12, such as a blower. The outdoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 10 may include a control unit of the outdoor unit 11 that controls the components of the outdoor unit 11, such as the compressor. The control unit of the indoor unit 12 may communicate with the control unit of the outdoor unit 11 via the communication unit of the indoor unit 12 or the communication unit of the outdoor unit 11. The communication unit of the outdoor unit 11 may transmit the control signal generated by the control unit of the outdoor unit 11 to the communication unit of the indoor unit 12, or transfer the control signal transmitted from the communication unit of the indoor unit 12 to the control unit of the outdoor unit 11. That is, the outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12 may perform bidirectional communication. The outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12 may transmit and receive various signals generated during the operation of the air conditioner 10.

The control unit of the outdoor unit 11 may be electrically connected to the components of the outdoor unit 11, and may control the operation of each component. For example, the control unit of the outdoor unit 11 may adjust a frequency of the compressor, and control the flow path switching valve to switch a refrigerant circulation direction. The control unit of the outdoor unit 11 may adjust a rotation speed of the outdoor fan. In addition, the control unit of the outdoor unit 11 may generate a control signal for adjusting an opening degree of the expansion valve. Under the control of the control unit of the outdoor unit 11, the refrigerant may circulate along a refrigerant circulation circuit including the compressor, the flow path switching valve, the outdoor heat exchanger, the expansion valve, and the indoor heat exchanger.

The various temperature sensors included in the outdoor and indoor units 11 and 12 may transmit the electrical signals corresponding to the detected temperatures to the control unit of the outdoor unit 11 and/or the control unit of the indoor unit 12, respectively. For example, the humidity sensors included in the outdoor and indoor units 11 and 12 may transmit electrical signals corresponding to the detected humidity to the control unit of the outdoor unit 11 and/or the control unit of the indoor unit 12, respectively.

The control unit of the indoor unit 12 may obtain the user input from the user device, such as the mobile device, via the communication unit of the indoor unit 12, and may obtain the user input directly via the input interface or through the remote controller. The control unit of the indoor unit 12 may control the components of the indoor unit 12, such as the blower, in response to the received user input. The control unit of the indoor unit 12 may transmit information on the received user input to the control unit of the outdoor unit 11.

The control unit of the outdoor unit 11 may control the components of the outdoor unit 11, such as the compressor, based on the information on the user input received from the indoor unit 12. For example, if the control unit of the outdoor unit 11 receives the control signal from the indoor unit 12 that corresponds to the user input for selecting an operation mode, such as the cooling operation, the heating operation, a blowing operation, a defrost operation, or a dehumidification operation, the control unit of the outdoor unit 11 may control the components of the outdoor unit 11 to perform the operation of the air conditioner 10 corresponding to the selected operation mode.

Each of the control unit of the outdoor unit 11 and the control unit of the indoor unit 12 may include a processor and a memory. The control unit of the indoor unit 12 may include at least one first processor and at least one first memory, and the control unit of the outdoor unit 11 may include at least one second processor and at least one second memory. Each control unit and each processor herein may comprise circuitry.

The memory may retain/store various information necessary for the operation of the air conditioner 10. The memory may store instructions, applications, data, and/or programs necessary for the operation of the air conditioner 10. For example, the memory may store various programs for the cooling operation, heating operation, dehumidification operation, and/or defrost operation of the air conditioner 10. The memory may include a volatile memory such as a static random access memory (S-RAM) or a dynamic random access memory (D-RAM) for short-term storage of data. The memory may include a non-volatile memory such as a read only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), or an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) for long-term storage of data.

The processor may generate the control signal for controlling the operation of the air conditioner 10 based on the instructions, the applications, the data and/or the programs stored in the memory. The processor may include logic circuits and arithmetic circuits as hardware modules. The processor may process data based on the program and/or instruction provided from the memory and generate the control signal based on a processing result. The memory and the processor may be implemented in one control circuit or the plurality of circuits.

The indoor unit 12 of the air conditioner 10 may include an output interface comprising circuitry. The output interface may be electrically connected, directly or indirectly, to the control unit of the indoor unit 12 and may output information related to the operation of the air conditioner 10 under the control of the control unit of the indoor unit 12. For example, information selected by the user input, such as the operation mode, an airflow direction, an air volume, or a temperature, may be output. In addition, the output interface may output sensing information obtained from the sensor of the indoor unit 12 or the sensor of the outdoor unit 11, and warning/error messages.

The output interface may include a display and a speaker. The speaker may output various sounds as an audio device. The display may display information input by the user or information provided to the user by using various graphic elements. For example, information about the operation of the air conditioner 10 may be displayed as at least one of an image or text. In addition, the display may include an indicator that provides specific information. The display may include a liquid crystal display panel (LCD) panel, a light emitting diode (LED) panel, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel, a micro LED panel, and/or a plurality of LEDs.

In addition, the air conditioning system 1 may include the indoor controller 20 and the electronic apparatus 100. The electronic apparatus 100 may be electrically connected to the outdoor unit 11, the indoor unit 12, and the indoor controller 20. The electronic apparatus 100 may be connected to the outdoor unit 11, the indoor unit 12, and the indoor controller 20 in a wireless or wired manner.

The indoor controller 20 may be a device for obtaining the user input for controlling the air conditioning system and transmitting information about the user input.

Here, the indoor controller 20 may include the input interface. The input interface may include any type of user input members, including a button, a switch, a touchscreen, and/or a touch pad.

The indoor controller 20 may receive the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 (e.g., the desired indoor temperature, the operation mode setting for cooling/heating/dehumidification/air purification, the discharge port selection setting, and/or the air volume setting) from the user via the input interface.

The input interface of the indoor controller 20 may be connected to the external input device. For example, the input interface may be electrically connected to the wired remote controller. The wired remote controller may be installed at a specific position in the indoor space (e.g., a portion of the wall surface). The user may input the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 by manipulating the wired remote controller. The electrical signal corresponding to the setting data obtained through the wired remote controller may be transmitted to the input interface. In addition, the input interface may include the infrared sensor. The user may remotely input the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 by using the wireless remote controller. The setting data input through the wireless remote controller may be transmitted to the input interface as the infrared signal.

In addition, the input interface of the indoor controller 20 may include a microphone. The user voice command may be obtained through the microphone. The microphone may convert the user voice command into the electrical signal and transmit the converted electrical signal to the control unit of the indoor controller 20.

Alternatively, the indoor controller 20 may obtain the user input from the user device, such as a mobile device, via a communication interface of the indoor controller 20.

The indoor controller 20 may include at least one sensor. Here, the sensor of the indoor controller 20 may be an environmental sensor. The sensor of the indoor controller 20 may be disposed at any position inside or outside the indoor controller 20. For example, the sensor of the indoor controller 20 may include a temperature sensor for detecting an air temperature around the indoor controller 20 and a humidity sensor for detecting an air humidity around the indoor controller 20. That is, the indoor controller 20 may obtain indoor environmental data by using the sensor of the indoor controller 20.

Meanwhile, the indoor controller 20 may obtain the indoor environmental data by using the sensor included in the indoor controller 20, which is only an embodiment. The indoor controller 20 may perform the communication with an external sensor and obtain the indoor environmental data obtained from the external sensor.

In addition, the indoor controller 20 may transmit the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 and the indoor environmental data to the electronic apparatus 100.

Here, the indoor controller 20 may transmit the setting data and the environmental data to the electronic apparatus 100 by using a communication method that enables the bidirectional communication rather than a contact communication method that only enables unidirectional transmission of the electrical signal.

The electronic apparatus 100 may control the components of the air conditioner 10 based on the setting data and the environmental data.

The electronic apparatus 100 may be connected electrically or in a wired or wireless manner to the indoor controller 20, the outdoor unit 11, and the indoor unit 12. Here, the electronic apparatus 100 may receive data from the indoor controller 20 and transmit the control data or control signal for controlling the air conditioner 10 to each component of the air conditioner 10. That is, the electronic apparatus 100 may be a control apparatus that controls the operations of the outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12. Here, the electronic apparatus 100 may be referred to as a “main controller,” and is not limited thereto.

The electronic apparatus 100 may serve as an adapter connecting the outdoor unit 11 to the indoor unit 12. The electronic apparatus 100 may control the indoor unit 12 manufactured by the same manufacturer as the outdoor unit 11, as well as the indoor unit 12 manufactured by a different manufacturer and/or the indoor unit 12 having a different communication protocol.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for describing the components of the electronic apparatus 100 according to at least an example embodiment.

The electronic apparatus 100 may include a memory 110, a communication interface 120, and a processor 130. Some of the components may be omitted, and the electronic apparatus 100 may further include other components.

The memory 110 may store at least one instruction regarding the electronic apparatus 100. The memory 110 may store an operating system (O/S) for operating the electronic apparatus 100. In addition, the memory 110 may store various software programs or applications for operating the electronic apparatus 100 according to the various embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, the memory 110 may include a semiconductor memory such as a flash memory or a magnetic storage medium such as a hard disk.

In detail, the memory 110 may store various software modules for performing the operation of the electronic apparatus 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, and the processor 130 may control the operation of the electronic apparatus 100 by executing the various software modules stored in the memory 110. That is, the memory 110 may be accessed by the processor 130, and the processor 130 may perform readout, recording, correction, deletion, update and the like of data in the memory 110.

Meanwhile, in the present disclosure, the term “memory 110” may be used as a concept including the memory 110, a read only memory (ROM, not shown), a random access memory (RAM, not shown) inside the processor 130, or a memory card (not shown) (e.g., micro secure digital (SD) card or a memory stick) mounted in the electronic apparatus 100.

In addition, the communication interface 120 is a component that includes circuitry and may communicate with the indoor controller 20, the outdoor unit 11, or the indoor unit 12. The communication interface 120 may communicate with the indoor controller 20, the outdoor unit 11, or the indoor unit 12 based on a wired or wireless communication method.

The communication interface 120 may include at least one interface capable of performing the bidirectional communication and at least one interface capable of performing the unidirectional communication.

That is, the communication interface 120 may communicate with at least one of the indoor controller 20, the outdoor unit 11, or the indoor unit 12 via the interface capable of performing the bidirectional communication. For example, the communication interface 120 may include an interface capable of transmitting and receiving RS-485 signals corresponding to the RS-485 communication standard. Here, the communication interface 120 may perform the bidirectional communication via the interface capable of transmitting and receiving the RS-485 signals.

Alternatively, the communication interface 120 may communicate with at least one of the indoor controller 20, the outdoor unit 11, or the indoor unit 12 via the interface capable of performing the unidirectional communication. For example, the interface capable of performing the unidirectional communication may include at least one contact terminal. In addition, the interface capable of performing the unidirectional communication may control a switch or a switching element to transmit a contact signal via the contact terminal. Here, the contact signal may refer to a signal indicating whether a contact is open or closed.

According to at least an example embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the communication interface 120 may perform the bidirectional communication with the indoor controller 20 via the first interface 121 capable of performing the bidirectional communication. That is, the communication interface 120 may receive data from the indoor controller 20 and transmit data to the indoor controller 20.

In addition, the communication interface 120 may perform the bidirectional communication with the outdoor unit 11 via the second interface 122 capable of performing the bidirectional communication. That is, the communication interface 120 may receive data from the outdoor unit 11 and transmit data to the outdoor unit 11.

In addition, the communication interface 120 may perform the unidirectional communication with the indoor unit 12 via a third interface 123 capable of performing the unidirectional communication. Here, the communication interface 120 may transmit a control signal for controlling the indoor unit 12 to the indoor unit 12 in the form of the contact signal.

In addition, the communication interface 120 may include a Bluetooth module (not shown), a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) module (not shown), an infrared (IR) module, a Zigbee module, a local area network (LAN) module, an Ethernet module, or the like. Here, each communication module may be implemented in the form of at least one hardware chip. In addition to the above-described communication methods, a wireless communication module, comprising communication circuitry, may include at least one communication chip for performing the communication based on various wireless communication standards such as universal serial bus (USB), mobile processor interface camera serial interface (MIPI CSI), third generation (3G), third generation partnership project (3GPP), long term evolution (LTE), LTE advanced (LTE-A), fourth generation (4G), and fifth generation (5G). However, this configuration is only an embodiment, and the communication interface 120 may use at least one communication module among various communication modules. The communication interface 120 may communicate with the user device, such as the mobile device, a home appliance, the external sensor, the server, or the like via the above-described communication module. In addition, the communication interface 120 may communicate with the indoor controller 20, the outdoor unit 11, the indoor unit 12, or the like also via the above-described module, and may transmit or receive data and signals.

The processor 130, comprising processing circuitry, may control overall operations and functions of the electronic apparatus 100. In detail, the processor 130 may be connected, directly or indirectly, to the components of the electronic apparatus 100, including the memory 110, and may control the overall operations of the electronic apparatus 100 by executing at least one instruction stored in the memory 110 as described above.

The processor 130 may be implemented in various ways. For example, the processor 130 may be implemented as at least one of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a logic integrated circuit, an embedded processor, a microprocessor, a hardware control logic, a hardware finite state machine (FSM), or a digital signal processor (DSP).

In particular, the processor 130 may include at least one processor. In detail, at least one processor may include at least one of a central processing unit (CPU), a graphic processing unit (GPU), an accelerated processing unit (APU), a many integrated core (MIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a neural processing unit (NPU), a micro processing unit (MPU), a hardware accelerator, or a machine learning accelerator. At least one processor may control one or any combination of other components included in the electronic apparatus, and may perform operations related to communication or data processing. At least one processor may execute at least one program or instruction stored in the memory. For example, at least one processor may perform a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure by executing at least one instruction stored in the memory.

If the method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of operations, the plurality of operations may be performed by one processor, or may be performed by a plurality of processors. That is, if a first operation, a second operation, and a third operation are performed by the method according to an embodiment, the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation may all be performed by a first processor, or the first operation and the second operation may be performed by the first processor (e.g., the generic-purpose processor) and the third operation may be performed by a second processor (e.g., an artificial intelligence-specific processor).

At least one processor may be implemented as a single-core processor including a single core, or as at least one multi-core processor including multiple cores (e.g., homogeneous multiple cores or heterogeneous multiple cores). If at least one processor is implemented as the multi-core processor, each of the multiple cores included in the multi-core processor may include an internal memory of the processor, such as a cache memory or an on-chip memory, and a common cache shared by the multiple cores may be included in the multi-core processor. In addition, each of the multiple cores (or some of the multiple cores) included in the multi-core processor may independently read and perform a program instruction for implementing the method according to at least an example embodiment, or all (or some) of the multiple cores may be linked to read and perform the program instruction for implementing the method according to at least an example embodiment.

If the method according to at least an example embodiment includes a plurality of operations, the plurality of operations may be performed by the single core among the multiple cores included in the multi-core processor, or may be performed by the multiple cores. For example, if the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation are performed using the method according to an example embodiment, the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation may all be performed by a first core included in the multi-core processor, or the first operation and the second operation may be performed by the first core included in the multi-core processor and the third operation may be performed by a second core included in the multi-core processor.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor 130 may indicate a system on a chip (SoC) integrating at least one processor and other electronic components, the single-core processor, the multi-core processor, or a core included in the single-core processor or the multi-core processor. Here, the core may be implemented as the CPU, the GPU, the APU, the MIC, the DSP, the NPU, the hardware accelerator, or the machine learning accelerator. However, an embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

The operation of the processor 130 for implementing the various embodiments according to the present disclosure may be implemented using a plurality of modules.

In detail, data on the plurality of modules according to the present disclosure may be stored in the memory 110, and the processor 130 may access the memory 110 to load the data on the plurality of modules into an internal memory or buffer included in the processor 130, and then use the plurality of modules to implement the various embodiments according to the present disclosure.

However, at least one of the plurality of modules according to the present disclosure may be implemented in hardware and included in the processor 130 in the form of a system on chip.

Alternatively, at least one of the plurality of modules according to the present disclosure may be implemented as a separate external device, and the electronic apparatus 100 and each module may perform the communication and perform the operation according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for describing the interior of an electronic apparatus 100 according to at least an example embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 3, the electronic apparatus 100 may include a main circuit board 101 and a plurality of contact terminals 102. The memory 110 and the processor 130 may be mounted on the main circuit board 101. The processor 130 may also be referred to as a “micom.” The communication interface 120 may communicate with the external device via terminal blocks for connection to other devices in addition to the contact terminals 102.

The outdoor unit 11, the indoor unit 12, and the indoor controller 20 may be connected to the plurality of contact terminals 102. The contact terminals 102 and the outdoor unit 11, the indoor unit 12, and the indoor controller 20 may each be connected to each other through wires and/or cables.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing the communication between the electronic apparatus 100 and the indoor controller 20, the outdoor unit 11, or the indoor unit 12 according to at least an example embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4, the outdoor unit 11 may be connected to terminals F1 and F2 among the contact terminals 102. The processor 130 may transmit data to the outdoor unit 11 via the terminal F1 and receive data from the outdoor unit 11 via the terminal F2.

In addition, the indoor controller 20 may be connected to terminals F3 and F4 among the contact terminals 102. The processor 130 may transmit data to the indoor controller 20 via the terminal F3 and receive data from the indoor controller 20 via the terminal F4.

That is, the indoor controller 20 according to the prior art may be connected to the electronic apparatus 100 via the interface capable of performing the unidirectional communication. However, the indoor controller 20 according to the present disclosure may be connected to the electronic apparatus 100 via the interface capable of performing the bidirectional communication. Accordingly, the electronic apparatus 100 may receive the setting data and the indoor environmental data related to the operation of the air conditioner 10 from the indoor controller 20, and may precisely control the outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12 based on the received data. Accordingly, the power consumption of the air conditioner 10 to satisfy a specific indoor environmental condition may be reduced, and energy may be used efficiently.

Meanwhile, the indoor unit 12 may be connected to a first cooling terminal (or terminal Y1), a second cooling terminal (or terminal Y2), a fan terminal (or terminal G) for controlling the indoor fan, a four-way valve terminal (or terminal O/B) for controlling the four-way valve, a first heating terminal (or terminal W1), a second heating terminal (or terminal W2), or an auxiliary heating terminal (terminal D) for controlling an auxiliary heater among the contact terminals 102. Here, the processor 130 may control the operation of the indoor unit 12 by turning on at least one of the contact terminals connected to the indoor unit 12 and turning off the remaining terminals.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for describing a control method for an electronic apparatus according to at least an example embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 5, the processor 130 may receive the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 and the indoor environmental data from the indoor controller 20 via the first interface that performs the bidirectional communication (S510).

Here, the processor 130 may receive the setting data and the environmental data from the indoor controller 20 via the terminal F2.

In the present disclosure, the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 may be data regarding settings input by the user to control an indoor environment. For example, the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 may include at least one of a set temperature, a set humidity, a set air volume, a set airflow direction, whether the air conditioner is in operation, or an operation mode of the air conditioner.

In the present disclosure, the indoor environmental data may be sensed data detected by a sensor for detecting the indoor environment. For example, the indoor environmental data may include at least one of the indoor temperature detected by the temperature sensor, an indoor humidity detected by the humidity sensor, an indoor air volume detected by an air volume sensor, or whether a door is opened detected by a door opening detection sensor.

Meanwhile, the processor 130 may receive the indoor environmental data from the indoor controller 20, and is not limited thereto, and may also receive the indoor environmental data from the external sensor or the external device. For example, the processor 130 may receive the indoor environmental data from a user terminal device, such as a smartphone.

The processor 130 may control the air conditioner based on the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 and the indoor environmental data if the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 and the indoor environmental data are received. That is, the processor 130 may generate the control information to be applied to the air conditioner based on the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 and the indoor environmental data.

In detail, the processor 130 may determine the operation of the air conditioner based on the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 and the indoor environmental data (S520). Here, the operation of the air conditioner 10 may include at least one of whether the air conditioner is in operation, the operation mode of the air conditioner, or a driving strength of the air conditioner.

Here, whether the air conditioner 10 is in operation may indicate whether the air conditioner 10 is on or off.

In addition, the operation mode of the air conditioner 10 may include a cooling operation mode, a heating operation mode, a blowing operation mode, a defrosting operation mode, a dehumidifying mode, a balancing mode, an energy saving mode, or an air purifying mode.

Here, the driving strength of the air conditioner 10 may include at least one of a compression speed of the compressor included in the air conditioner, a magnitude of power applied to the air conditioner 10, or a strength of the airflow discharged from the air conditioner 10, and is not limited thereto.

The processor 130 may generate control information to be applied to the air conditioner 10 if/when the operation of the air conditioner 10 is determined (S530). Here, the generated control information may be control information for controlling the air conditioner 10 to operate based on the determined operation.

For example, the processor 130 may determine the operation of the air conditioner 10 based on the indoor temperature information and the set temperature information. In detail, the processor 130 may determine the operation mode of the air conditioner 10 based on the indoor temperature information and the set temperature information, and determine the compression speed of the compressor in the determined operation mode. In addition, the processor 130 may generate the control information corresponding to the determined operation mode and the determined compressor speed.

For example, the processor 130 may generate the control information to be applied to the air conditioner 10 based on received air volume information if/when the air volume information is received from the indoor controller 20 via the first interface 121.

Meanwhile, the processor 130 may receive signals or data from a plurality of indoor controllers. For example, the electronic apparatus 100 may be connected to a first indoor controller via the first interface capable of performing the bidirectional communication. In addition, the electronic apparatus 100 may be connected to a second indoor controller via a fourth interface capable of performing the unidirectional communication. Here, the processor 130 may generate the control information based on the data received from the first indoor controller if a signal received from the second indoor controller conflicts with a signal received from the first indoor controller.

The processor 130 may control the air conditioner 10 based on the generated control information if the control information is generated (S540).

In detail, the processor 130 may transmit the control information to the air conditioner 10 if the control information is generated. Here, the processor 130 may transmit control information corresponding to each device to each device. In detail, the control information may include control information for controlling the indoor unit 12 and control information for controlling the outdoor unit 11. Here, the processor 130 may transmit the control information for controlling the indoor unit 12 to the indoor unit 12 and the control information for controlling the outdoor unit 11 to the outdoor unit 11.

Here, the processor 130 may transmit the control information to each device included in the air conditioner 10 via a different interface.

In detail, the processor 130 may communicate with the indoor unit 12 via the second interface 122 and with the outdoor unit 11 via the third interface 123.

Here, the second interface 122 may be an interface that performs the unidirectional communication. In addition, the third interface 123 may be an interface that performs the bidirectional communication.

That is, the processor 130 may transmit the generated control information to the indoor unit 12 via the second interface that performs the unidirectional communication.

In addition, the processor 130 may transmit the generated control information to the outdoor unit 11 via the third interface that performs the bidirectional communication.

In addition, the indoor unit 12 and the outdoor unit 11 may perform the operations based on the received control information.

Meanwhile, the air conditioner may receive the control information generated by the electronic apparatus 100 and perform the operation based on the received control information, which is only an embodiment, and is not limited thereto. In detail, the air conditioner 10 may receive the indoor environmental data and the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 from the electronic apparatus 100. In addition, the air conditioner 10 may generate the control information based on the received data. In addition, the air conditioner 10 may operate based on the generated control information.

For example, the processor 130 may transmit the received environmental data and the received setting data to the outdoor unit 11. Here, the processor 130 may transmit the environmental data and the setting data to the outdoor unit 11 via the interface capable of performing the bidirectional communication. The outdoor unit 11 may generate the control information and operate based on the generated control information based on the received environmental data and the received setting data. Here, a method by which the outdoor unit 11 generates the control information may be the same as a method by which the processor 130 generates the control information, and is not limited thereto.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for describing a method by which the electronic apparatus determines the operation of the air conditioner 10 according to at least an example embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 6, the processor 130 may receive the setting data and the environmental data from the indoor controller 20 (S610).

In addition, the processor 130 may compare a difference between the setting data and the environmental data with a predetermined value (S620).

In detail, the processor 130 may identify whether the difference between the setting data and the environmental data is greater than or equal to the predetermined value. Here, information regarding the predetermined value may be stored in the memory 110.

In addition, the processor 130 may determine the operation of the air conditioner 10 based on a comparison result (S630).

For example, the processor 130 may determine whether the air conditioner is in operation as ON if the difference between the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 and the indoor environmental data is greater than or equal to the predetermined value.

In addition, the processor 130 may determine the operation mode to allow the indoor environmental data to become the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 if the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 differs from the indoor environmental data by the predetermined value or more.

For example, the indoor temperature may be 26 degrees Celsius and the set temperature may be 24 degrees Celsius. Here, a predetermined value may be 1 degree Celsius. In this case, a difference between the indoor temperature and the set temperature may be greater than or equal to the predetermined value, and the processor 130 may thus determine the operation mode of the air conditioner to the cooling mode to allow the indoor temperature to reach the set temperature.

Alternatively, the indoor temperature may be 22 degrees Celsius and the set temperature may be 24 degrees Celsius. Here, a predetermined value may be 1 degree Celsius. In this case, the difference between the indoor temperature and the set temperature may be greater than or equal to the predetermined value, and the processor 130 may thus determine the operating mode of the air conditioner to the heating mode to allow the indoor temperature to reach the set temperature.

In addition, the processor 130 may determine the driving strength of the air conditioner based on a size of the difference between the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 and the indoor environmental data.

In detail, referring to FIG. 7, the memory 110 may store information 700 about the driving strength corresponding to a section, to which the difference between the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 and the indoor environmental data belongs, in the form of a lookup table.

Here, the processor 130 may drive the air conditioner 10 at a first driving strength if the difference between the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 and the indoor environmental data belongs to a first section. In addition, the processor 130 may drive the air conditioner 10 at a second driving strength if the difference between the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 and the indoor environmental data belongs to a second section.

For example, the first section may be less than 2 degrees Celsius, and the second section may be greater than or equal to 2 degrees Celsius and less than 4 degrees Celsius. In addition, the driving strength corresponding to the first section may be “weak”, and the driving strength corresponding to the second section may be “medium”. Here, the processor 130 may determine the driving strength of the air conditioner to be “weak” if the difference between the indoor temperature and the set temperature is 1 degree Celsius. Alternatively, the processor 130 may determine the driving strength of the air conditioner to be “medium” if the difference between the indoor temperature and the set temperature is 3 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the setting data regarding the operation of the air conditioner 10 and the indoor environmental data may include a plurality of elements. Accordingly, the processor 130 may compare the setting data and the environmental data for each of the plurality of elements. In addition, the processor 130 may determine the operation of the air conditioner 10 based on a comparison result. Here, the processor 130 may compositely determine the operation of the air conditioner 10 based on the comparison result for each of the plurality of elements.

In detail, the setting data and the environmental data may include data for a first element (e.g., temperature) and data for a second element (e.g., humidity). For example, the data for the first element may include the set temperature and the indoor temperature. In addition, the data for the second element may include the set humidity and the indoor humidity.

In addition, the processor 130 may determine a first operation of the air conditioner 10 by comparing the setting data for the first element with the environmental data for the first element. In addition, the processor 130 may determine a second operation of the air conditioner 10 by comparing the setting data for the second element with the environmental data for the second element. In addition, the processor 130 may generate the control information to allow the air conditioner 10 to perform the first and second operations simultaneously.

For example, the heat exchanger of the indoor unit 12 may be equipped with a heater at a discharge end. Here, the processor 130 may control the air conditioner 10 to perform the heating and cooling operations simultaneously if the difference between the indoor temperature and the set temperature is less than or equal to a first predetermined value, and a difference between the indoor humidity and the set humidity is greater than or equal to a second predetermined value.

That is, the processor 130 may generate the control information to allow the air conditioner 10 to perform a simultaneous operation based on the comparison results for each of the plurality of elements. Here, the simultaneous operation may be an operation mode in which the operations are simultaneously performed based on two or more operation modes of the air conditioner. “Based on” as used herein covers based at least on.

Meanwhile, the electronic apparatus 100 may receive the information about the operation of the air conditioner 10 from the air conditioner 10 via the interface that performs the bidirectional communication. Here, the information about the operation of the air conditioner 10 may include information about at least one of whether a malfunction occurs during the operation of the air conditioner 10, whether an error occurs during the operation of the air conditioner 10, the operation mode in which the air conditioner 10 is in operation, or an outdoor temperature.

For example, the processor 130 may receive information about the operation of the outdoor unit 11 from the outdoor unit 11 if the electronic apparatus 100 communicates with the outdoor unit 11 via the interface that performs the bidirectional communication. Here, the information about the operation of the outdoor unit 11 may include information on at least one of whether a malfunction occurs in the outdoor unit 11 during the operation of the outdoor unit 11, whether an error occurs during the operation of the outdoor unit 11, the operation mode in which the outdoor unit 11 is in operation, or an outdoor temperature.

The processor 130 may transmit the information about the operation of the air conditioner to the indoor controller 20 via the first interface capable of performing the bidirectional communication if the information about the operation of the air conditioner 10 is received.

Accordingly, the indoor controller 20 may output the information about the operation of the air conditioner 10. For example, the indoor controller 20 may include a display, a speaker, or a communication interface. Here, the indoor controller 20 may control the display to display a screen regarding the information about the operation of the air conditioner 10. Alternatively, the indoor controller 20 may control the speaker to output audio regarding the information about the operation of the air conditioner 10. Alternatively, the indoor controller 20 may control the communication interface to transmit information for outputting the screen or audio regarding the information about the operation of the air conditioner 10 to the user terminal device.

For example, the indoor controller 20 may control the speaker to output audio such as “The current indoor temperature is 25 degrees Celsius, and the set temperature is 23 degrees Celsius. The cooling operation mode will be performed until the indoor temperature reaches 25 degrees Celsius.”

Meanwhile, the electronic apparatus 100 may control the air conditioner 10 to operate if a predetermined event is detected, even if no setting data is received via the indoor controller 20.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for describing the control method for an electronic apparatus according to at least an example embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 8, the electronic apparatus 100 may detect whether the predetermined event occurs (S810).

For example, the predetermined event may be the user entering the indoor space. The processor 130 may detect the user entering the indoor space by using an operation sensor or the door opening detection sensor. Here, the processor 130 may receive data obtained by detecting the user entering the indoor space from the indoor controller 20 or the external sensor.

The processor 130 may obtain the indoor environmental data (S820) if the predetermined event is detected (S810-Y). Here, the processor 130 may obtain the indoor environmental data from the indoor controller 20 or the external sensor.

The processor 130 may determine whether a difference between the indoor environmental data and predetermined environmental data is greater than or equal to a predetermined difference if the indoor environmental data is obtained (S830).

The processor 130 may control the air conditioner based on the indoor environmental data and the predetermined environmental data (S840) if the difference between the indoor environmental data and the predetermined environmental data is greater than or equal to the predetermined difference (S830-Y).

In detail, the processor 130 may control the air conditioner 10 to allow the indoor environment to correspond to the predetermined environmental data. For example, the processor 130 may drive the air conditioner 10 to maintain the indoor temperature at 25 degrees Celsius if the user entering the indoor space is detected, the indoor temperature is 28 degrees Celsius, and the predetermined indoor temperature is 25 degrees Celsius.

In addition, the processor 130 may identify whether the predetermined event is detected (S810) if no predetermined event is detected (S810-N) or the difference between the indoor environmental data and the predetermined environmental data is less than the predetermined difference (S830-N). That is, the processor 130 may continuously monitor whether the predetermined event is detected.

Meanwhile, the term “˜er/˜or” or “module” used in the present disclosure may include a unit including hardware, software or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with the term, for example, a logic, a logic block, a component or a circuit. The “˜er/˜or” or “module” may be an integrally formed component, or a minimum unit or part performing one or more functions. For example, the module may include an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Thus, for example, each “module”herein may comprise circuitry.

The various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented by software including an instruction stored in the machine-readable storage medium (for example, a computer-readable storage medium). A machine may be an apparatus that invokes the stored instruction from the storage medium, may be operated based on the invoked instruction, and may include the electronic apparatus 100 according to the disclosed embodiments. In case that the instruction is executed by the processor, the processor may perform a function corresponding to the instruction directly or by using other components under control of the processor. The instruction may include a code provided or executed by a compiler or an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, the term “non-transitory” indicates that the storage medium is tangible without including a signal, and does not distinguish whether data is semi-permanently or temporarily stored in the storage medium.

The method according to the various embodiments disclosed in the present disclosure may be included and provided in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a commodity between a seller and a purchaser. The computer program product may be distributed in a form of a storage medium (for example, a compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)) that may be read by the machine or online through an application store (for example, PlayStore™). In case of the online distribution, at least portions of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored in a storage medium such as a memory of a server of a manufacturer, a server of an application store or a relay server, or be temporarily provided.

Each of components (for example, modules or programs) according to the various embodiments may include a single entity or a plurality of entities, and some of the corresponding sub-components described above may be omitted or other sub-components may be further included in the various embodiments. Alternatively or additionally, some of the components (for example, the modules or the programs) may be integrated into one entity, and may perform functions performed by the respective corresponding components before being integrated in the same or similar manner. Operations performed by the modules, the programs or other components according to the various embodiments may be executed in a sequential manner, a parallel manner, an iterative manner or a heuristic manner, at least some of the operations may be performed in a different order or be omitted, or other operations may be added.