Air conditioner and control method therefor

Abstract

An air conditioner according to the disclosure may include: an indoor unit; an outdoor unit configured to be connected to the indoor unit, and including a plurality of electronic devices comprising various circuitry; an inputter comprising input circuitry configured to obtain an input and transmit a signal corresponding to the input; and a controller comprising at least one processor, comprising processing circuitry, configured to: set a maximum current applied to the outdoor unit based on the signal received from the inputter, and adjust a driving current applied to each of the plurality of electronic devices included in the outdoor unit based on the set maximum current.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 an indoor unit;   an outdoor unit configured to be connected to the indoor unit, and including a plurality of electronic devices comprising various circuitry;   an inputter comprising input circuitry configured to obtain an input and transmit a signal corresponding to the input; and   a controller including at least one processor, comprising processing circuitry, configured to:   set a maximum current applied to the outdoor unit based on the signal received from the inputter, and   adjust a driving current applied to each of the plurality of electronic devices included in the outdoor unit based on the set maximum current.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of electronic devices to control a total driving current of the plurality of electronic devices included in the outdoor unit to remain constant at the set maximum current. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electronic devices comprise: a compressor and an outdoor fan, wherein
 the controller is configured to control the compressor and the outdoor fan to control a total driving current of the plurality of electronic devices included in the outdoor unit to correspond to the set maximum current.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , the controller comprises: a plurality of contact terminals connected to the inputter, and
 the controller is configured to determine the maximum current applied to the outdoor unit, based on a voltage of the signal applied to a first contact terminal of the plurality of contact terminals.   
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner of  claim 4 , wherein the inputter comprises a regulator comprising circuitry configured to be connected to the first contact terminal of the controller, wherein
 the voltage of the signal applied to the first contact terminal is changed based on an operation of the regulator.   
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner of  claim 5 , wherein the regulator comprises:
 a plurality of resistor elements comprising resistors arranged in series; and   a plurality of switch elements comprising switches branched from nodes between the plurality of resistor elements and arranged in parallel, wherein   the voltage of the signal applied to the first contact terminal is determined based on closure of any one of the plurality of switch elements.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner of  claim 5 , wherein the regulator comprises:
 a variable resistor configured to vary the voltage of the signal applied to the first contact terminal.   
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a remote controller comprising remote control circuitry configured to be connected to the controller by wire or wirelessly, and to select an input mode of the inputter,   wherein the controller is configured to adjust the maximum current applied to the outdoor unit in response to the signal transmitted from the inputter, based on the input mode of the inputter being selected as a maximum current input mode via the remote controller.   
     
     
         9 . A method for controlling an air conditioner, the method comprising:
 obtaining an input via an inputter;   receiving, by a controller, a signal corresponding to the input from the inputter;   setting a maximum current applied to an outdoor unit based on the received signal; and   adjusting a driving current applied to each of a plurality of electronic devices included in the outdoor unit based on the set maximum current.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of electronic devices included in the outdoor unit are configured to be controlled to control a total driving current of the plurality of electronic devices to remain constant at the set maximum current. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of electronic devices comprise a compressor and an outdoor fan, and
 the adjusting of the driving current comprises controlling the compressor and the outdoor fan to control a total driving current of the plurality of electronic devices included in the outdoor unit to correspond to the set maximum current.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the setting of the maximum current comprises setting the maximum current applied to the outdoor unit, based on a voltage of the signal applied to a first contact terminal of a plurality of contact terminals arranged in the controller. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the voltage of the signal applied to the first contact terminal is changed based on an operation of a regulator provided in the inputter and connected to the first contact terminal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the voltage of the signal applied to the first contact terminal is determined based on closure of any one of a plurality of switch elements included in the regulator. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the setting of the maximum current is performed in response to the signal transmitted from the inputter, based on an input mode of the inputter being selected as a maximum current input mode via a remote controller.