Ventilation device and air conditioner comprising same

Abstract

A ventilation device is provided. The ventilation device includes a heat exchange device through which heat is exchange while outdoor air introduced through an inlet and indoor air exhausted through an exhaust port passes therethrough, a heater, disposed between the heat exchange device and the inlet, configured to heat the outdoor air before the outdoor air passes through the heat exchange device, a first temperature sensor for identifying the temperature of the outdoor air, a memory storing information about a plurality of temperature ranges and instructions, and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the heater, the first temperature sensor, and the memory, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the ventilation device to identify the temperature of the outdoor air through the first temperature sensor, identify a temperature range to which the temperature of the outdoor air belongs from among the plurality of temperature ranges, identify a target output of the heater for heating the outdoor air to a target temperature corresponding to the temperature range, and drive the heater based on the identified target output.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ventilation device, comprising:
 a heat exchange device through which heat is exchanged while outdoor air introduced through an inlet and indoor air exhausted through an exhaust port passes therethrough;   a heater, disposed between the heat exchange device and the inlet, configured to heat the outdoor air before the outdoor air passes through the heat exchange device;   a first temperature sensor for identifying a temperature of the outdoor air;   a memory storing information on a plurality of temperature ranges and instructions; and   at least one processor communicatively coupled to the heater, the first temperature sensor, and the memory,   wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the ventilation device to:
 identify the temperature of the outdoor air through the first temperature sensor, 
 identify a temperature range to which the temperature of the outdoor air belongs from among the plurality of temperature ranges, 
 identify a target output of the heater for heating the outdoor air to a target temperature corresponding to the temperature range, and 
 drive the heater based on the identified target output. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ventilation device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a humidity sensor for identifying humidity of the indoor air,   wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the ventilation device to:
 identify, based on the humidity of the indoor air being greater than or equal to a pre-set humidity, a first target output of the heater for heating the outdoor air to a maximum temperature from among a first temperature range, and drive the heater to the first target output, and 
 identify, based on the humidity of the indoor air being less than the pre-set humidity, a second target output of the heater for heating the outdoor air to a pre-set temperature which is higher than the maximum temperature from among the first temperature range, and drive the heater to the second target output. 
   
     
     
         3 . The ventilation device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the ventilation device to:
 identify, based on a user input for operating the ventilation device in a first mode being obtained, a first target output of the heater for heating the outdoor air to a maximum temperature from among a first temperature range, and drive the heater to the first target output, and   identify, based on a user input for operating the ventilation device in a second mode being obtained, a second target output of the heater for heating the outdoor air to a pre-set temperature which is higher than the maximum temperature from among the first temperature range, and drive the heater to the second target output.   
     
     
         4 . The ventilation device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second temperature sensor, disposed between the heater and the heat exchange device, configured to identify an outdoor temperature heated by the heater,   wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the ventilation device to:
 identify, through the second temperature sensor, the outdoor temperature heated by the heater, 
 increase, based on the outdoor temperature heated by the heater being less than a pre-set temperature, the target output of the heater, and 
 decrease, based on the outdoor temperature heated by the heater being greater than or equal to the pre-set temperature, the target output of the heater. 
   
     
     
         5 . The ventilation device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the ventilation device to:
 identify, while the heater is heating the outdoor air, an output of the heater, and   identify, by comparing the output of the heater with the identified target output, whether the heater is malfunctioning.   
     
     
         6 . The ventilation device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the ventilation device to:
 identify an output of the heater while the heater is heating the outdoor air, and   identify, based on a difference of the output of the heater and the identified target output being different for a pre-set time by greater than or equal to a pre-set value, as the heater malfunctioning.   
     
     
         7 . The ventilation device of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the ventilation device to:
 stop, based on the heater being identified as malfunctioning, driving of the heater.   
     
     
         8 . The ventilation device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fan for transporting the outdoor air with which heat exchange is carried out in the heat exchange device to a heating and cooling device,   wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the ventilation device to:
 drive the fan to transport the outdoor air with which heat exchange is carried out in the heat exchange device to the heating and cooling device. 
   
     
     
         9 . The ventilation device of  claim 4 , wherein the pre-set temperature is a temperature at which frost is not formed in the heat exchange device while the heat exchange device is operating. 
     
     
         10 . The ventilation device of  claim 1 , wherein the heater is capable of adjusting an output. 
     
     
         11 . The ventilation device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a filter for filtering dust between the inlet and the heater.   
     
     
         12 . The ventilation device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second temperature sensor for detecting an outdoor temperature heated by the heater,   wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the ventilation device to:
 identify, based on sensing data obtained from the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, whether the heater is malfunctioning, and 
 stop, based on identifying that the heater is malfunctioning, an operation of the heater. 
   
     
     
         13 . A method performed by a ventilation device including a heat exchange device through which heat is exchanged while outdoor air introduced through an inlet and indoor air exhausted through an exhaust port passes therethrough, a heater, disposed between the heat exchange device and the inlet, configured to heat the outdoor air before the outdoor air passes through the heat exchange device, and a first temperature sensor for identifying a temperature of the outdoor air, the method comprising:
 identifying the temperature of the outdoor air through the first temperature sensor;   identifying a temperature range to which the temperature of outdoor air belongs from among a plurality of pre-stored temperature ranges;   identifying a target output of the heater for heating the outdoor air to a target temperature corresponding to the temperature range; and   driving the heater based on the identified target output.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the ventilation device includes a humidity sensor for identifying humidity of the indoor air, and   wherein the method further comprises:
 identifying, based on the humidity of the indoor air being greater than or equal to a pre-set humidity, a first target output of the heater for heating the outdoor air to a maximum temperature from among a first temperature range, and driving the heater to the first target output; and 
 identifying, based on the humidity of the indoor air being less than the pre-set humidity, a second target output of the heater for heating the outdoor air to a pre-set temperature which is higher than the maximum temperature from among the first temperature range, and driving the heater to the second target output. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 identifying, based on a user input for operating the ventilation device in a first mode being obtained, a first target output of the heater for heating the outdoor air to a maximum temperature from among a first temperature range, and driving the heater to the first target output; and   identifying, based on a user input for operating the ventilation device in a second mode being obtained, a second target output of the heater for heating the outdoor air to a pre-set temperature which is higher than the maximum temperature from among the first temperature range, and driving the heater to the second target output.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the ventilation device includes a second temperature sensor, disposed between the heater and the heat exchange device, configured to identify an outdoor temperature heated by the heater, and   wherein the method further comprises:
 identifying, through the second temperature sensor, the outdoor temperature heated by the heater; 
 increasing, based on the outdoor temperature heated by the heater being less than a pre-set temperature, the target output of the heater; and 
 decreasing, based on the outdoor temperature heated by the heater being greater than or equal to the pre-set temperature, the target output of the heater. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 identifying, while the heater is heating the outdoor air, an output of the heater; and   identifying, by comparing the output of the heater with the identified target output, whether the heater is malfunctioning.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 identifying an output of the heater while the heater is heating the outdoor air; and   identifying, based on a difference of the output of the heater and the identified target output being different for a pre-set time by greater than or equal to a pre-set value, as the heater malfunctioning.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 stopping, based on the heater being identified as malfunctioning, driving of the heater.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the ventilation device includes a fan for transporting the outdoor air with which heat exchange is carried out in the heat exchange device to a heating and cooling device, and   wherein the method further comprises:
 driving the fan to transport the outdoor air with which heat exchange is carried out in the heat exchange device to the heating and cooling device.