Air conditioner and method for controlling the same

Abstract

Provided are an air conditioner and a method for controlling the air conditioner. The air conditioner includes an input unit receiving an input air-conditioning temperature for an indoor space, an air-conditioning unit generating a cool or hot wind having the input air-conditioning temperature, and a location detecting unit for detecting a user s location in the indoor space. A direction and temperature of the cool or hot wind generated by the air-conditioning unit are adjusted in accordance with whether a user is detected in the indoor space by the location detecting unit.

1 . An air conditioner comprising:
 an input unit receiving an input air-conditioning temperature for an indoor space;   an air-conditioning unit generating a cool or hot wind having the input air-conditioning temperature; and   a location detecting unit for detecting a user's location in the indoor space,   wherein a direction and temperature of the cool or hot wind generated by the air-conditioning unit are adjusted in accordance with whether a user is detected in the indoor space and the user's location by the location detecting unit.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the location detecting unit detects whether the user is located in one of a plurality of air-conditioning sections that are defined by dividing the indoor space. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the air-conditioning sections are defined by dividing the indoor space according to a distance from the air-conditioning unit and an angle with reference to a center of the air-conditioning unit. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein, the air-conditioning unit generates the cool or hot wind as a direct wind and directs the direct wind to one of the air-conditioning sections where the user is located, when the user is detected in one of the air-conditioning sections by the location detecting unit. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein, except for a case where the user is detected in one of the air-conditioning sections, the air-conditioning unit generates the cool or hot wind as an indirect wind and directs the indirect wind to at least three of the air-conditioning sections. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein, in a state where the cool or hot wind having the input air-conditioning temperature is formed as the indirect wind, except for a case where the user is detected in one of the air-conditioning sections before a preset detection time has elapsed, the air-conditioning unit generates the cool wind as the indirect wind having a temperature higher than the input air-conditioning temperature or the hot wind as the indirect wind having a temperature lower than the input air-conditioning temperature. 
     
     
         7 . An air conditioner comprising:
 an input unit receiving an input cooling or heating temperature for an indoor space;   an air-conditioning unit generating a cool wind having the input cooling temperature or a hot wind having the input heating temperature;   a wind direction adjusting unit adjusting a direction of the cool or hot wind generated by the air-conditioning unit;   a location detecting unit detecting a user located in one of a plurality of air-conditioning sections defined by dividing the indoor space; and   a control unit that controls the wind direction adjusting unit such that the cool or hot wind is generated as a direct or indirect wind and corrects the input cooling and heating temperatures in accordance with whether the user exits in one of the air-conditioning sections, which is determined by a user's location detected by the location detecting unit, and a time for which the user exists in one of the air-conditioning sections or does not exit in any of the air-conditioning sections.   
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 7 , wherein the air-conditioning sections are defined by dividing the indoor space along a plurality of imaginary latitude lines that are spaced apart from each other by predetermined radii from a center of the air-conditioning unit and extend in a circumferential direction and longitudinal lines extending in a radial direction and spaced apart from each other by predetermined central angles with respect to the center of the air-conditioning unit. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 7 , wherein the wind direction adjusting unit comprises:
 a vertical adjusting unit that adjusts a direction of the cool or hot wind such that the cool or hot wind is directed to one of the air-conditioning sections in accordance with a distance from the air-conditioning unit; and   a horizontal adjusting unit that adjusts a direction of the cool or hot wind such that the cool or hot wind is directed to one of the air-conditioning sections in accordance with an angle with the air-conditioning unit.   
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 7 , wherein the location detecting unit is an infrared sensor installed at the air-conditioning unit. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner according to  claim 7 , wherein, when it is determined that the user does not exist in any one of the air-conditioning sections, the control unit controls the wind direction adjusting unit such that the cool wind having the input cooling temperature or the hot wind having the input heating temperature are generated as an indirect wind directing toward at least three of the air-conditioning sections. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner according to  claim 7 , wherein, when the user does not exist in any one of the air-conditioning unit for a preset detection time or more, the control unit controls the wind direction adjusting unit such that the cool wind having a corrected cooling temperature or the hot wind having a corrected heating temperature is generated as the indirect wind directing at least three of the air-conditioning sections. 
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner according to  claim 12 , wherein, when the user does not exist in any one of the air-conditioning unit for the detection time or more, the control unit corrects the input cooling or heating temperature. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner according to  claim 13 , wherein the corrected cooling temperature is greater than the input cooling temperature by a temperature that is equal to or greater than 1° C. and less than 5° C.; and the corrected heating temperature is less than the input heating temperature that is equal to or greater than 1° C. and less than 5° C. 
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner according to  claim 13 , wherein the detection time is 10-30 minutes. 
     
     
         16 . A method for controlling an air conditioner comprising an air-conditioning unit generating a cool or hot wind having an input air-conditioning temperature for an indoor space; a wind direction adjusting unit for adjusting a direction of the cool or hot wind generated by the air-conditioning unit, a location detecting unit for detecting a user's location in the indoor space, and a control unit controlling the air-conditioning unit, the method comprising:
 determining if the location detecting unit detects the user in the indoor space;   allowing the control unit to determine if the user exists in the indoor space in accordance with whether the user is detected in the indoor unit by the location detecting unit; and   allowing the control unit to control the air-conditioning unit and the wind direction adjusting unit such that a direction of the cool or hot wind is adjusted in accordance with whether the user exits in the indoor space.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the location detecting unit determines if the user is located in one of air-conditioning sections that are defined by dividing the indoor space. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein, when it is determined that the user exists in one of the air-conditioning unit, the cool or hot wind is generated as a direct wind having the input air-conditioning temperature and directing toward one of the air-conditioning sections where the user is located and, when it is determined that the user does not exist in any one of the air-conditioning sections, the cool or hot wind is generated as an indirect wind having the input air-conditioning temperature and directing toward at least three of the air-conditioning sections. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein, in a state where the cool or hot wind is generated as the indirect wind having the input air-conditioning temperature and directing toward at least three of the air-conditioning sections, when the user does not exist in any one of the air-conditioning sections for a preset detection time or more, the cool or hot wind having a corrected air-conditioning temperature is generated as the indirect wind directing toward at least three of the air-conditioning sections. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the corrected air-conditioning temperature of the cool wind is greater than the input air-conditioning temperature by 2° C. and the corrected air-conditioning temperature of the hot wind is less than the input air-conditioning temperature by 2° C.