Air conditioner and method of controlling the same

An air conditioner comprising:

• an outdoor unit comprising a processor configured to generate a control signal;
• a mode change device connected to the outdoor unit, including a plurality of mode changers including a branch duct and a changing valve, and configured to receive a control signal from the processor of the outdoor unit to control an operation of the plurality of mode changers;
• and
• a plurality of indoor units connected to the outdoor unit or the plurality of mode change devices and each of the plurality of indoor units comprising a processor and an indoor heat exchanger,
• wherein the processor of the outdoor unit is configured to:
• set an address and an identifier to each of the plurality of mode change devices,
• set an address to at least one mode changer included in each of the plurality of mode change devices, and
• based on the set identifier of the mode change device and the set address of the mode changer, determine an operation mode of the mode change device and an operation mode of the plurality of mode changers to operate the mode change device a plurality of times;
• and
• wherein the processor of each of the plurality of indoor units is configured to:
• detect a temperature change of an indoor heat exchanger in response to the operation of the mode change device,
• determine a number of the mode changers that are connected and a mode changer candidate group of the mode changers that are connectable based on the temperature change of the indoor heat exchanger, and
• extract and store the address of a valid mode changer, which is a mode changer related to the temperature change of the indoor heat exchanger, from the determined mode changer candidate group and obtain branch duct connection information.

A method of controlling an air conditioner, the air conditioner including an outdoor unit, a plurality of mode change devices connected to the outdoor unit, and a plurality of indoor units connected to the outdoor unit or the plurality of mode change devices, the method comprising:

• operating the plurality of mode change devices in an operation mode determined by the outdoor unit;
• setting an address and an identifier to each of the plurality of mode change devices;
• setting an address to a plurality of mode changers included in the plurality of mode change devices;
• determining an operation mode of the plurality of mode change devices and operation modes of the plurality of mode changers based on the set identifier of the plurality of mode change devices and the set address of the plurality of mode changers;
• detecting a temperature change of an indoor heat exchanger included in each of the plurality of indoor units in response to the operation of the plurality of mode change devices;
• determining a number of mode changers connected to each of the plurality of indoor units and a mode changer candidate group of mode changers that are connectable to each of the plurality of indoor units based on temperature changes of the indoor heat exchangers of each of the plurality of indoor units;
• and
• extracting and storing the address of a valid mode changer from the mode changer, which is a mode changer related to the temperature change of the indoor heat exchanger, candidate group and obtaining branch duct connection information for each of the plurality of indoor units.