Back to results
US 9,372,010 B2Granted
Apparatus, method for controlling one or more outdoor devices, and air conditioning system having the same
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorsJaesik Jung, Duckgu Jeon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus, a method for controlling one or more outdoor devices, and an air conditioning system are provided. A freezing prevention function for an outdoor device may be activated or deactivated based on weather information received from an external weather information providing server or weather information input by a user, and freezing prevention may be performed using state and operation information of the outdoor device as necessary. Thus, user convenience may be improved, stability of the outdoor device and an air conditioning system having the same enhanced, and operation efficiency improved.
Claims29
An apparatus in communication with and configured to control one or more outdoor devices, wherein the apparatus comprises:
- a first communication module connected to an external weather information providing server and configured to receive a weather information of an area in which the one or more outdoor devices are installed;
- a comparison module configured to compare the weather information with pre-set weather conditions and generate a signal for activating or deactivating the freeze prevention function of the one or more outdoor devices based on comparing the weather information with the pre-set weather condition;
- and
- a second communication module configured to transmit the signal to the one or more outdoor devices, wherein the apparatus activates or deactivates a freeze prevention function of the one or more outdoor devices on the basis of the signal for activating or deactivating the freeze prevention function, wherein when the freeze prevention function of the one or more outdoor devices is activated, the apparatus compares state information and operation information of the corresponding one or more outdoor devices with pre-set operation conditions in order to start or terminate the freeze prevention function of the corresponding one or more outdoor devices, and starts or terminates the freeze prevention function of the corresponding outdoor device based on the comparing of the state information and the operation information with the pre-set operation conditions, wherein the state information and the operation information are received from each of the one or more outdoor devices, wherein the one or more outdoor devices, for which the freeze prevention function is started, drive a fan of the corresponding one or more outdoor devices at a predetermined speed for a predetermined period of time, and wherein the weather information includes information related to temperature, humidity, rainfall probability, an amount of rainfall, a probability of precipitation, and/or an amount of precipitation.
1 more element
An air conditioning system, comprising:
- one or more outdoor devices installed at an outer side of a building and configured to perform air conditioning for the building, and
- an apparatus connected to an external weather information providing server, the apparatus being configured to receive weather information of an area in which the one or more outdoor devices are installed and activate or deactivate a freeze prevention function of the one or more outdoor devices on the basis of the weather information, wherein the apparatus includes:
- a first communication module configured to receive the weather information from the external weather information providing server;
- a comparison module configured to compare the weather information with pre-set weather conditions and generate a signal for activating or deactivating the freeze prevention function of the one or more outdoor devices based on comparing the weather information with the pre-set weather conditions;
- and
- a second communication module configured to transmit the signal to the one or more outdoor devices, wherein when the freeze prevention function of the one or more outdoor devices is activated, the apparatus compares state information and operation information of the corresponding one or more outdoor devices with pre-set operation conditions in order to start or terminate the freeze prevention function of the corresponding one or more outdoor devices, and starts or terminates the freeze prevention function of the corresponding outdoor device based on the comparing of the state information and the operation information with the pre-set operation conditions, wherein the state information and the operation information are received from each of the one or more outdoor devices, wherein the one or more outdoor devices, for which the freeze prevention function is started, drive a fan of the corresponding one or more outdoor devices at a predetermined speed for a predetermined period of time, and wherein the weather information includes information related to temperature, humidity, rainfall probability, an amount of rainfall, a probability of precipitation, and/or an amount of precipitation.
3 more elements
A method for controlling one or more outdoor devices using an apparatus connected to the one or more outdoor devices, the method comprising:
- receiving weather information of an area in which the one or more outdoor devices are installed;
- comparing the weather information with pre-set weather conditions;
- activating or deactivating a freeze prevention function on the basis of the comparison results based on the comparing of the weather information with pre-set weather conditions;
- and
- when the freeze prevention function of the one or more outdoor devices is activated, receiving state information and operation information from the corresponding one or more outdoor devices, comparing the state information and the operation information with pre-set operation conditions to perform the freeze prevention function of the corresponding one or more outdoor devices, and starting or terminating the freeze prevention function of the corresponding one or more outdoor devices based on the comparing of the state information and the operation information with the pre-set operation conditions, wherein the one or more outdoor devices, for which the freeze prevention function is started, drive a fan of the corresponding one or more outdoor devices at a predetermined speed for a predetermined period of time, wherein, in the receiving the weather information, the apparatus is connected to the external weather information providing server, either wirelessly or through a wireline, to receive the weather information, or receives the weather information directly from a user, and wherein the weather information includes information related to temperature, humidity, rainfall probability, an amount of rainfall, a probability of precipitation, and/or an amount of precipitation.
2 more elements
An apparatus in communication with one or more outdoor devices, the apparatus including:
- a processor configured to receive weather information of an area in which the one or more outdoor devices are installed, generate a signal for activating or deactivating a freeze prevention function of the one or more outdoor devices on the basis of the weather information, and transmit the signal to the one or more outdoor devices, wherein when the freeze prevention function of the one or more outdoor devices is activated, the apparatus compares state information and operation information of the corresponding one or more outdoor devices with pre-set operation conditions in order to start or terminate the freeze prevention function of the corresponding one or more outdoor devices, and starts or terminates the freeze prevention function for the corresponding outdoor device based on the comparing of the state information and the operation information with the pre-set operation conditions, wherein the state information and the operation information are received from each of the one or more outdoor devices, wherein the one or more outdoor devices, for which the freeze prevention function is started, drive a fan of the corresponding one or more outdoor devices at a predetermined speed for a predetermined period of time, wherein the apparatus is configured to communicate with the weather information providing server either wirelessly or through a wireline to obtain the weather information of an area in which the one or more outdoor devices are installed, and wherein the weather information includes information related to temperature, humidity, rainfall probability, an amount of rainfall, a probability of precipitation, and/or an amount of precipitation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.