Air conditioner for improving cooling performance and control method thereof

Abstract

An air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes a compressor, a power module configured to drive the compressor, a power module temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the power module, memory storing one or more computer programs, and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the compressor, the power module, the power module temperature sensor, and the memory, wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the air conditioner to determine whether a current of the compressor corresponding to a target frequency of the compressor is greater than or equal to an upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature, and based on determining that the current of the compressor is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, when the outside air temperature is lower than a reference temperature, limit a current being applied to the compressor to less than the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, and when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature, increase the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on the detected temperature of the power module.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a compressor;   a power module configured to drive the compressor;   a power module temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the power module;   memory storing one or more computer programs; and   one or more processors communicatively coupled to the compressor, the power module, the power module temperature sensor, and the memory,   wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the air conditioner to:
 determine whether a current of the compressor corresponding to a target frequency of the compressor is greater than or equal to an upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature, and 
 based on determining that the current of the compressor is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, when the outside air temperature is lower than a reference temperature, limit a current being applied to the compressor to less than the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, and when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature, increase the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on the detected temperature of the power module. 
   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the air conditioner to reduce an amount of increase in the current being applied to the compressor as the temperature of the power module increases. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the air conditioner to:
 obtain information about an amount of increase in the current corresponding to each of a plurality of temperature intervals of the power module, and   increase the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current, based on information about an amount of increase in the current corresponding to a temperature interval in which the detected temperature of the power module falls among the plurality of temperature intervals.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the air conditioner to execute the one or more instructions to reduce amount of increase in the current being applied to the compressor as the detected temperature of the power module increases and an indoor air volume set in the air conditioner decreases. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the air conditioner to determine a target current to be applied to the compressor, based on the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, the detected temperature of the power module, an indoor air volume set in the air conditioner, and the outside air temperature. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the air conditioner to increase the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature and a revolutions per minute (RPM) of an outdoor fan of the air conditioner is a defined maximum value. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature decreases as the outside air temperature increases. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the air conditioner to, when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature and the current being applied to the compressor is limited to less than the upper limit current, increase the current to greater than or equal to the upper limit current in response to receiving a user input. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner of  claim 8 , wherein the user input comprises a user input for lowering a desired temperature set in the air conditioner. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the air conditioner to display a user interface for increasing a cooling speed when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature and the current being applied to the compressor is limited to less than the upper limit current. 
     
     
         11 . A method of controlling an air conditioner for improving cooling performance, the method comprising:
 detecting, by the air conditioner, a temperature of a power module;   determining, by the air conditioner, whether a current of a compressor corresponding to a target frequency of the compressor is greater than or equal to an upper limit current corresponding to an outside air temperature; and   based on determining that the current of the compressor is greater than or equal to the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, when the outside air temperature is lower than a reference temperature, limiting, by the air conditioner, a current being applied to the compressor to less than the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, and when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature, increasing, by the air conditioner, the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current based on the detected temperature of the power module.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the increasing of the current being applied to the compressor based on the detected temperature of the power module comprises reducing an amount of increase in the current being applied to the compressor as the temperature of the power module increases. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the reducing of the amount of increase in the current being applied to the compressor as the temperature of the power module increases comprises:
 obtaining information about an amount of increase in the current corresponding to each of a plurality of temperature intervals of the power module; and   increasing the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current, based on information about an amount of increase in the current corresponding to a temperature interval in which the detected temperature of the power module falls among the plurality of temperature intervals.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the increasing of the current being applied to the compressor based on the detected temperature of the power module comprises reducing amount of increase in the current being applied to the compressor as the detected temperature of the power module increases and an indoor air volume set in the air conditioner decreases. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the increasing of the current being applied to the compressor based on the detected temperature of the power module comprises:
 determining a target current to be applied to the compressor, based on the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature, the detected temperature of the power module, an indoor air volume set in the air conditioner, and the outside air temperature; and   increasing the current being applied to the compressor according to the determined target current.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the increasing of the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature comprises increasing the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature and a revolutions per minute (RPM) of an outdoor fan of the air conditioner is a defined maximum value. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the upper limit current corresponding to the outside air temperature decreases as the outside air temperature increases. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the increasing of the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature comprises, when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature and the current being applied to the compressor is limited to less than the upper limit current, increasing the current to greater than or equal to the upper limit current in response to receiving a user input. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the user input comprises a user input for lowering a desired temperature set in the air conditioner. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the increasing of the current being applied to the compressor to greater than or equal to the upper limit current when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature comprises:
 displaying a user interface for increasing a cooling speed when the outside air temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature and the current being applied to the compressor is limited to less than the upper limit current; and   receiving the user input via the user interface.