Air conditioner and method of controlling an air conditioner

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air conditioner which controls operation by adjusting or changing a set indoor temperature of the air conditioner in accordance with a thermal insulation performance of the building in which the air conditioner is installed and an outdoor air temperature, wherein an amount of adjusting or changing the set indoor temperature is set to be different within a pre-set temperature range around 0° C. outdoor air temperature than outside the pre-set temperature range. The present invention further relates to a computer-implemented method of controlling an air conditioner and a controller of an air conditioner.

1 . An air conditioner which controls operation by adjusting or changing a set indoor temperature of the air conditioner in accordance with a (pre-set) thermal insulation performance of the building in which the air conditioner is installed and an outdoor air temperature,
 wherein an amount of adjusting or changing the set indoor temperature is set to be different within a pre-set temperature range around 0° C. outdoor air temperature than outside the pre-set temperature range.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the adjustment or change of the set indoor temperature of the air conditioner is made gradually or steadily, in particular stepwise.   
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the thermal insulation performance of the building in which the air conditioner is installed is set at the time of installation of the air conditioner in accordance with the thermal insulation performance of the building.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermal insulation performance of the building is set via a remote controller. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermal insulation performance of the building is selected from the group comprising: (OFF) turned off, no compensation; (LL) turned on, low base compensation, low compensation at 0° C.; (LH) turned on, low base compensation, high compensation at 0° C.; (HL) turned on, high base compensation, low compensation at 0° C.; and (HH) turned on, high base compensation, high compensation at 0° C. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein the adjustment or change of the set indoor temperature of the air conditioner is made stepwise, and
 (i) in the low base compensation modes (LL) and (LH) the adjustment or changing steps are made in increments between 5° C. and 10° C., and   (ii) in the high base compensation modes (HL) and (HH) the adjustment or changing steps are made in increments between 2° C. and 5° C.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment or change of the set indoor temperature of the air conditioner is made stepwise and at least the adjustment or changing steps outside the pre-set temperature range around 0° C. outdoor air temperature are constant. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment or change of the set indoor temperature of the air conditioner is made stepwise and within the pre-set temperature range around 0° C. outdoor air temperature only one adjustment or change step is made, said one adjustment or change step being preferably at least twice the size or amount of the adjustment or change steps outside the pre-set temperature range around 0° C. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the pre-set temperature range around 0° C. outdoor temperature is set between +5° C. and −15° C., preferably between +3° C. and −10° C. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment or change of the set indoor temperature of the air conditioner is made at each step instantaneously or gradually, wherein in the case of gradually the adjustment or change is made preferably between 0.5° C. and 4° C., more preferably between 1° C. and 2° C. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method of controlling an air conditioner, the method comprising:
 determining a thermal insulation performance of the building in which the air conditioner is installed,   setting a thermal insulation performance compensation level in accordance with the determined thermal insulation performance of the building, and   adjusting or changing a set indoor temperature of the air conditioner in accordance with the set thermal insulation performance compensation level and an outdoor air temperature,   wherein an amount of adjusting or changing the set indoor temperature is set to be different within a pre-set temperature range around 0° C. outdoor air temperature than outside the pre-set temperature range.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method according to  claim 11 , wherein the thermal insulation performance compensation level is selected from the group comprising: (OFF) turned off, no compensation; (LL) turned on, low base compensation, low compensation at 0° C.; (LH) turned on, low base compensation, high compensation at 0° C.; (HL) turned on, high base compensation, low compensation at 0° C.; and (HH) turned on, high base compensation, high compensation at 0° C. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method according to  claim 11 , wherein the thermal insulation performance compensation level is set at the time of installation of the air conditioner and/or by using a remote controller. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a step of automatically determining and/or updating the thermal insulation performance of the building and/or the thermal insulation performance compensation level by monitoring a temperature difference between a first temperature measured at an indoor unit of the air conditioner and a second temperature measured at a remote controller of the air conditioner or a separate temperature measuring device during cooling or heating operation over a pre-set time period.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method according to  claim 14 , wherein the step of automatically determining and/or updating the thermal insulation performance of the building and/or the thermal insulation performance compensation level is performed periodically, in particular after a pre-set time period has elapsed. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method according to  claim 14 , wherein the step of automatically determining and/or updating the thermal insulation performance of the building and/or the thermal insulation performance compensation level is only performed if:
 (i) a pre-set distance between the indoor unit and the remote controller or the separate temperature measuring device is confirmed, wherein the pre-set distance preferably is at least 3 meters, more preferably at least 5 meters, and/or   (ii) the outdoor air temperature is outside a pre-set temperature range, which is preferably set between 10° C. and −25° C.   
     
     
         17 . A controller of an air conditioner, having a control unit and means adapted to execute the steps of the method of  claim 11 . 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the thermal insulation performance of the building in which the air conditioner is installed is set at the time of installation of the air conditioner in accordance with the thermal insulation performance of the building.   
     
     
         19 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the thermal insulation performance of the building is set via a remote controller. 
     
     
         20 . The air conditioner according to  claim 3 , wherein the thermal insulation performance of the building is set via a remote controller.