# US 10,871,301 B2 · Air conditioner and control method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,301 B2 - Document ID: US10871301B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/862,825 - Filed: 2018-01-05 - Published: 2018-07-19 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-05 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Chulmin Park; Sangwoo Lee; Juntae Kim; Kwonhyung Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871301B2 ## CPC - F24F 11/56: Remote control - F16C 32/0442: {with devices affected by abnormal, undesired or non-standard conditions such as shock-load, power outage, start-up or touchdown} - F16C 32/0444: {Details of devices to control the actuation of the electromagnets} - F16C 32/0451: {Details of controllers, i.e. the units determining the power to be supplied, e.g. comparing elements, feedback arrangements with P.I.D. control} - F16C 32/0457: {Details of the power supply to the electromagnets} - F24F 1/32: for connecting the separate outdoor units to indoor units - F24F 11/48: prior to normal operation, e.g. pre-heating or pre-cooling - F24F 11/49: ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks - F24F 11/54: using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers - F24F 11/58: using Internet communication - F24F 11/62: characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values - F24F 11/65: for selecting an operating mode - G05B 15/02: electric - F24F 2110/10: Temperature - 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) - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract Disclosed is an air conditioner and a control method thereof, the air conditioner where a plurality of units is connected wirelessly to receive and transmit data with each other, and the control method in which an address is set in a wireless communication method using an initially set basic channel, a group is set in response to a response signal, and communication is performed with an indoor unit belonging into the same group through a new channel. Accordingly, the plurality of units in the air conditioner is able to receive and transmit data with each other wirelessly, and a group is set with respect to multiple units so that the multiple units are able to communicate with each other directly. Additionally, because a group is able to be easily set with respected to units connected via a pipe by setting a channel, it is possible to reduce a time for setting wireless communication and make the communication setting accurate. The present disclosure allows units to communicate using a different channel according to which group each unit belongs to, thereby preventing intervention between groups and malfunction of units. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An air conditioner comprising: a plurality of outdoor units that includes a first outdoor unit; and a plurality of indoor units connected to one of the plurality of outdoor units via a refrigerant pipe, wherein the first outdoor unit of the plurality of outdoor units is configured to: wirelessly transmit an address setting signal to the plurality of indoor units using a first channel, receive a response signal from at least one of the plurality of indoor units, determine that a first indoor unit, from which the response signal is received from among the plurality of indoor units, is an indoor unit coupled to the first outdoor unit via the refrigerant pipe, set a first group associated with the first indoor unit, search for a second channel for the set first group, allocate an address to the first indoor unit; provide, to the first indoor unit, channel information regarding the second channel; request a channel change of the first indoor unit to the second channel; communicate, wirelessly through the second channel, with at least the first indoor unit associated with the first group; and transmit a setting completion signal to another outdoor unit which is in an idle state, wherein a second outdoor unit of the plurality of outdoor units is configured to: remain in the idle state during the first outdoor unit setting the first group, when the completion signal is received at the second outdoor unit, start to operate, and wirelessly transmit the address setting signal to the plurality of indoor units using the first channel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the first indoor unit of the plurality of indoor units is configured to: receive the address setting signal, operate in response the address setting signal, determine whether there is a specific change in temperature based on the operating of the first indoor unit, and provide the response signal when the first indoor unit determines that there is a specific change in temperature. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein based on the channel information, the first indoor unit changes a communication channel from the first channel to the second channel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the plurality of outdoor units comprise the second outdoor unit, the second outdoor unit uses a third channel to communicate with indoor units belonging to a second group. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein a second indoor unit, from among the plurality of indoor units, is to maintain the first channel when the second indoor unit is determined to have no change in temperature. ### Claim 6 A control method of an air conditioner having a plurality of outdoor units and a plurality of indoor units, comprising: wirelessly transmitting, by a first outdoor unit from among the plurality of outdoor units, an address setting signal to the plurality of indoor units using an initially set channel; remaining, via a second outdoor unit of the plurality of outdoor units, in an idle state; in response to the address setting signal, providing a response signal from a first indoor unit, from among the plurality of indoor units, to the first outdoor unit; in response to the response signal, determining, by the first outdoor unit, that the first indoor unit is coupled to the first outdoor unit via a refrigerant pipe, and setting a first group associated with the first indoor unit; searching, by the first outdoor unit, for a new channel for the set first group; allocating an address to the first indoor unit; providing channel information regarding the new channel and requesting the first indoor unit to change to the new channel; the first outdoor unit communicating, through the new channel, with the first indoor unit associated with the first group; transmitting a setting completion signal to another unit including the second outdoor unit which is in the idle state; starting to operate, by the second outdoor unit, from among the plurality of outdoor units using the initially set channel; and wirelessly providing, by the second outdoor unit, an address setting signal to another plurality of indoor units using the initially set channel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The control method of claim 6, further comprising: in response to receiving the address setting signal, operating the first indoor unit; determining whether there is a specific change in temperature based on the operating of the first indoor unit; and providing the response signal when the first indoor unit determines that there is a specific change in temperature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The control method of claim 7, further comprising: maintaining the initially set channel by a specific indoor unit, from among the plurality of indoor units, having no determined change in temperature. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The control method of claim 6, further comprising: changing, by the first indoor unit, a communication channel from the initially set channel to the new channel based on the channel information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The control method of claim 6, further comprising: setting a second group with respect to an indoor unit from which a response signal is received among the another plurality of indoor units. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The control method of claim 10, wherein the first group communicates using the new channel, and the second group communicates using another channel which is different than the new channel. ### Claim 12 A control method of an air conditioner having a plurality of outdoor units and a plurality of indoor units, comprising: providing an address setting signal from a first outdoor unit to the plurality of indoor units using a first channel; remaining, via a second outdoor unit of the plurality of outdoor units, in an idle state; in response to receiving the address setting signal, providing a response signal from a first indoor unit, from among the plurality of indoor units, to the first outdoor unit; in response to receiving the response signal, determining, by the first outdoor unit, that the first indoor unit is coupled to the first outdoor unit via a refrigerant pipe, and setting a first group associated with the first indoor unit based on the determination; searching for a second channel; allocating an address to the first indoor unit; providing channel information regarding the second channel and requesting the first indoor unit to change to the second channel; the first outdoor unit communicating, through the second channel, with the first indoor unit associated with the first group; transmitting a setting completion signal from the first outdoor unit to another outdoor unit including the second outdoor unit which is in the idle state; operating the second outdoor unit from among the plurality of outdoor units; and providing an address setting signal from the second outdoor unit to another plurality of indoor units using the first channel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The control method of claim 12, further comprising: in response to receiving the address setting signal, operating the first indoor unit; determining whether there is a specific change in temperature based on the operating of the first indoor unit; and providing the response signal when the first indoor unit determines that there is a specific change in temperature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The control method of claim 13, further comprising: maintaining the first channel for a specific indoor unit in which there is no determined specific change in temperature. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The control method of claim 12, wherein based on the channel information, the first indoor unit is to change a communication channel from the first channel to the second channel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The control method of claim 12, further comprising: setting a second group associated with an indoor unit from which a response signal is received among the another plurality of indoor units. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The control method of claim 16, wherein the first group communicates using the second channel, and the second group communicates using a third channel which is different than the second channel.