# US 12,000,610 B2 · Control method and control device of apparatus and apparatus using control device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,610 B2 - Document ID: US12000610B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/281,829 - Filed: 2018-12-20 - Published: 2022-01-27 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-01 - Assignees: Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai - Applicants: Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai - Inventors: Qiang Huang; Jie Tang; Weiyou Yu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000610B2 ## CPC - F24F 11/66: Sleep mode - G05B 19/042: using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) - F24F 11/46: Improving electric energy efficiency or saving - F24F 11/65: for selecting an operating mode - F24F 11/88: Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits - G05B 2219/2614: HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control - G05B 2219/2638: Airconditioning - 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) - 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 are a control method and a control device of an apparatus and an apparatus using the control device. The control method includes: detecting whether an outdoor unit of the apparatus enters a standby state; and controlling the outdoor unit to enter a low power consumption mode for controlling a drive of the outdoor unit to be powered off after detecting that the outdoor unit enters the standby state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control method of an apparatus, comprising: detecting whether an outdoor unit of the apparatus enters a standby state; controlling the outdoor unit to enter a low power consumption mode for controlling a drive of the outdoor unit to be powered off after detecting that the outdoor unit enters the standby state, wherein the controlling the outdoor unit to enter a low power consumption mode comprises: controlling a power supply load of the outdoor unit to be disconnected; controlling a power switch of the outdoor unit to be disconnected; the control method further comprises: detecting whether the power switch of the outdoor unit is disconnected after controlling the power switch of the outdoor unit to be disconnected; and controlling a power supply of the drive of the outdoor unit to be disconnected after detecting that the power switch of the outdoor unit is disconnected, comprising controlling a power switch of the drive to be disconnected and stopping supplying power to a drive load and a drive MCU power supply source after detecting that the power switch of the drive is disconnected; and detecting states of the power switch of the outdoor unit and the power switch of the drive; and when at least one of the power switch of the outdoor unit or the power switch of the drive is in an on state, supplying power to the outdoor unit, the drive load and the drive MCU power supply source, to control the outdoor unit to enter a normal working mode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control method of an apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the apparatus comprises one or more indoor units, and the detecting whether an outdoor unit of the apparatus enters a standby state comprises: detecting on/off state of indoor units of the apparatus; and if all the indoor units are in the off state, detecting that the outdoor unit enters the standby state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control method of an apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after stopping supplying power to the drive MCU power supply source, the control method further comprises: triggering the drive MCU power supply source to enter a discharging mode, and continuously supplying power to the drive MCU until discharging is finished, wherein the drive MCU stops working after the discharging of the drive MCU power supply source is finished. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A computer, comprising a memory, a processor and a computer program stored on the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the control method of an apparatus according to claim 1 is implemented when the computer program is executed by the processor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A non-transitory storage medium embodying computer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by a computer processor, perform the control method of an apparatus according to claim 1. ### Claim 6 A control device of an apparatus, comprising an outdoor unit detection circuit and a drive circuit, wherein: the outdoor unit detection circuit is connected with the drive circuit, and configured to detect whether an outdoor unit enters a standby state and send a detection result to the drive circuit, and the outdoor unit detection circuit comprises: an outdoor unit switch control circuit connected with the outdoor unit and a drive MCU and configured to detect whether the outdoor unit enters the standby state and send the detection result to the drive MCU; and an outdoor unit power switch connected with the outdoor unit switch control circuit and a drive power circuit and configured to enter an off state when the outdoor unit enters the standby state; and the drive circuit is connected with the outdoor unit detection circuit and configured to control the outdoor unit to enter a low power consumption mode for controlling a drive of the outdoor unit to be powered off under a condition that the detection result is that the outdoor unit enters a standby state, and the drive circuit comprises: a drive control circuit connected with the outdoor unit detection circuit and configured to receive the detection result of the outdoor unit detection circuit, the drive control circuit comprises: the drive MCU connected with the outdoor unit detection circuit and configured to receive the detection result of the outdoor unit detection circuit; a drive switch control circuit connected with the drive MCU and configured to control the drive power switch according to the detection result of the outdoor unit detection circuit; and the drive power switch connected with the drive switch control circuit and the drive power circuit and configured to enter an off state when the outdoor unit enters the standby state; and the drive power circuit connected with the drive control circuit and the outdoor unit and configured to control the outdoor unit to enter a low power consumption mode when the outdoor unit enters the standby state, wherein the drive power circuit is specifically configured to control a power supply of the drive of the outdoor unit to be disconnected when both the drive power switch and the outdoor unit power switch are in off state. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The control device of an apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the drive power circuit comprises: a drive power control circuit, at one end, connected with commercial power, and at the other end, connected with the drive power switch and the outdoor unit power switch, and configured to be disconnected from the commercial power when both the drive power switch and the outdoor unit power switch are in off state; a drive charging circuit, at one end, connected with the drive power control circuit, and at the other end, connected with a drive MCU power supply source and a drive load, and configured to stop supplying power to the drive load and the drive MCU power supply source when the drive power control circuit is disconnected from the commercial power; and the drive MCU power supply source, at one end, connected with the drive charging circuit, and at the other end, connected with the drive MCU, and configured to supply power to the drive MCU. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The control device of an apparatus according to claim 7, wherein after the drive charging circuit stops supplying power to the drive MCU power supply source, the drive MCU power supply source is further configured to enter a discharging mode, and continuously supply power to the drive MCU until discharging is finished, wherein the drive MCU stops working after the discharging is finished. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The control device of an apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: the drive power control circuit is further configured to be connected with the commercial power when at least one of the drive power switch or the outdoor unit power switch is in on state; and the drive charging circuit is further configured to supply power to the drive load and the drive MCU power supply source when the drive power control circuit is connected with the commercial power. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The control device of an apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the drive MCU power supply source is charged and discharged by using a capacitor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The control device of an apparatus according to claim 6, comprising a plurality of indoor units, wherein: the outdoor unit detection circuit is specifically configured to determine whether the outdoor unit enters the standby state by detecting whether the plurality of indoor units are all in the off state; and when the plurality of indoor units are all in the off state, the outdoor unit is determined to enter the standby state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) An apparatus, comprising the control device of the apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the apparatus comprises an air conditioner.