# US 10,767,881 B2 · Method and device for controlling a compressor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,767,881 B2 - Document ID: US10767881B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/981,729 - Filed: 2018-05-16 - Published: 2018-10-04 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-30 - Assignees: Gd Midea Air-Conditioning Equipment Co., Ltd.; Midea Group Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Gd Midea Air-Conditioning Equipment Co., Ltd.; Midea Group Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yong Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767881B2 ## CPC - F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring - F24F 11/38: Failure diagnosis - F24F 11/86: by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits - F25B 49/005: {of safety devices (F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence)} - F25B 49/022: {Compressor control arrangements} - F24F 2110/12: of the outside air - F25B 2500/08: Exceeding a certain temperature value in a refrigeration component or cycle - F25B 2500/222: Detecting refrigerant leaks - F25B 2500/26: characterised by the startup of the refrigeration cycle - F25B 2600/0251: with on-off operation - F25B 2600/0253: with variable speed - Y02B 30/70: Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract A method of controlling a compressor is disclosed. The method includes: after the compressor is stopped for protection, updating the number of protective stops of the compressor occurring during a current operation of the air conditioner; and when the number of protective stops of the compressor is greater than a first preset number, lowering the frequency of the compressor so that when the compressor restarts the compressor would start and operate at the lowered frequency. Disclosed also is a device for controlling a compressor. Thus, by lowering the frequency of the compressor, the compressor would reach the high or low temperature protective value comparatively slowly, so the number of restarts of the compressor can be reduced. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling a compressor, comprising: after the compressor is stopped for protection, updating a number of protective stops of the compressor occurring during a current operation of an air conditioner; when the number of protective stops of the compressor is greater than a first preset number, lowering a frequency of the compressor so that when the compressor restarts, the compressor starts and operates at the lowered frequency, wherein lowering the frequency of the compressor includes lowering a preset frequency in accordance with a first decreasing amplitude corresponding to a current number of protective stops to obtain the lowered frequency, and wherein the greater the number of protective stops, the greater the first decreasing amplitude; determining, when the number of protective stops of the compressor is greater than the first preset number, whether the number of protective stops is less than a second preset number which is greater than the first preset number; when the number of protective stops is less than the second preset number, performing the operation of lowering the frequency of the compressor so that when the compressor restarts the compressor starts and operates at the lowered frequency; and otherwise, when the number of protective stops is greater than or equal to the second preset number, restoring the frequency of the compressor to the preset frequency, and clearing the number of protective stops of the compressor to zero. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: reducing the first decreasing amplitude upon detection of a refrigerant leak. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein reducing the first decreasing amplitude upon detection of the refrigerant leak comprises: obtaining a number of refrigerant leaks that have been detected upon detection of the refrigerant leak; and reducing the first decreasing amplitude when the number of detected refrigerant leaks is more than a preset number. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, in parallel with lowering the frequency of the compressor: reducing a duration of operation of the compressor at the frequency so that when the compressor restarts the compressor starts and operates at the lowered frequency for the reduced duration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein reducing the duration of operation of the compressor at the frequency comprises: reducing a preset duration of operation in accordance with a second decreasing amplitude corresponding to a current number of protective stops to obtain the reduced duration in which the compressor is to operate at the frequency, wherein the greater the number of protective stops, the greater the second decreasing amplitude. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising, subsequent to updating the number of protective stops of the compressor during the current operation of the air conditioner: determining, when the number of protective stops of the compressor is greater than the first preset number, whether the number of protective stops is less than a second preset number which is greater than the first preset number; when the number of protective stops is less than the second preset number, lowering the frequency of the compressor and reducing the duration of operation of the compressor at the frequency, so that when the compressor restarts the compressor starts and operates at the lowered frequency for the reduced duration; otherwise when the number of protective stops is greater than or equal to the second preset number, restoring the frequency of the compressor to the preset frequency, and the duration of operation of the compressor at the frequency to the preset duration of operation, and meanwhile clearing the number of protective stops of the compressor to zero. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: reducing the first decreasing amplitude and/or second decreasing amplitude upon detection of a refrigerant leak. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: clearing the number of protective stops of the compressor when the air conditioner is powered off. ### Claim 9 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions which, when executed by an electronic device with a compressor, one or more processors, and memory, cause the electronic device to: after the compressor is stopped for protection, update a number of protective stops of the compressor occurring during a current operation of an air conditioner; when the number of protective stops of the compressor is greater than a first preset number, lower a frequency of the compressor so that when the compressor restarts, the compressor starts and operates at the lowered frequency, wherein lowering the frequency of the compressor includes lowering a preset frequency in accordance with a first decreasing amplitude corresponding to a current number of protective stops to obtain the lowered frequency, and wherein the greater the number of protective stops, the greater the first decreasing amplitude; determine, when the number of protective stops of the compressor is greater than the first preset number, whether the number of protective stops is less than a second preset number which is greater than the first preset number; when the number of protective stops is less than the second preset number, perform the operation of lowering the frequency of the compressor so that when the compressor restarts the compressor starts and operates at the lowered frequency; and otherwise, when the number of protective stops is greater than or equal to the second preset number, restore the frequency of the compressor to the preset frequency, and clear the number of protective stops of the compressor to zero. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, including instructions which, when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to: reduce the first decreasing amplitude upon detection of a refrigerant leak. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein reducing the first decreasing amplitude upon detection of the refrigerant leak comprises: obtaining a number of refrigerant leaks that have been detected upon detection of the refrigerant leak; and reducing the first decreasing amplitude when the number of detected refrigerant leaks is more than a preset number. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, including instructions which, when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to, in parallel with lowering the frequency of the compressor: reduce a duration of operation of the compressor at the frequency so that when the compressor restarts the compressor starts and operates at the lowered frequency for the reduced duration. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein reducing the duration of operation of the compressor at the frequency comprises: reducing a preset duration of operation in accordance with a second decreasing amplitude corresponding to a current number of protective stops to obtain the reduced duration in which the compressor is to operate at the frequency, wherein the greater the number of protective stops, the greater the second decreasing amplitude. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, including instructions which, when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to, subsequent to updating the number of protective stops of the compressor during the current operation of the air conditioner: determine, when the number of protective stops of the compressor is greater than the first preset number, whether the number of protective stops is less than a second preset number which is greater than the first preset number; when the number of protective stops is less than the second preset number, lower the frequency of the compressor and reducing the duration of operation of the compressor at the frequency, so that when the compressor restarts the compressor starts and operates at the lowered frequency for the reduced duration; otherwise when the number of protective stops is greater than or equal to the second preset number, restore the frequency of the compressor to the preset frequency, and the duration of operation of the compressor at the frequency to the preset duration of operation, and meanwhile clearing the number of protective stops of the compressor to zero. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, including instructions which, when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to: reduce the first decreasing amplitude and/or second decreasing amplitude upon detection of a refrigerant leak. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, including instructions which, when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to: clear the number of protective stops of the compressor when the air conditioner is powered off.