Air conditioning system and controlling method thereof

Abstract

There ore provided an air conditioning system and a method of controlling the air conditioning system. The air conditioning system includes a controller having a selection key for selecting an operation mode or an air volume rate. An air cleaning unit includes a signal receiving portion receiving an instruction inputted using the selection key, a control portion receiving the instruction from the signal receiving portion, and a driving portion actuating a fan motor or other components according to the instruction inputted to the control portion. A ventilation unit includes a control portion receiving a signal from the control portion of the air cleaning unit, and a driving portion actuating a fan motor or other components according to an instruction from the control portion of the ventilation unit.

1 . An air conditioning system comprising: 
 a controller for selecting an operation mode or an air volume rate;    an air cleaning unit including a signal receiving portion receiving an instruction inputted using the selection key, a control portion receiving the instruction from the signal receiving portion, and a driving portion actuating a fan motor or other components according to the instruction inputted to the control portion; and    a ventilation unit including a control portion receiving a signal from the control portion of the air cleaning unit, and a driving portion actuating a fan motor or other components according to an instruction from the control portion of the ventilation unit.    
   
   
       2 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 1 , wherein when the instruction inputted using the controller is an individual operation mode instruction, the control portion of the air cleaning unit operates only the air cleaning unit.  
   
   
       3 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 1 , wherein when the instruction inputted using the controller is a combination mode instruction, the air cleaning unit and the ventilation unit are simultaneously operated.  
   
   
       4 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 3 , wherein the control portion of the air cleaning unit sends an operation instruction to the control portion of the ventilation unit in the combination mode.  
   
   
       5 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller and the control portion of the air cleaning unit are connected to each other via a cable or radio waves.  
   
   
       6 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control portions of the air cleaning unit and the ventilation unit are connected to each other via a cable or radio waves.  
   
   
       7 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller further includes: 
 a display window showing an operating state of the air conditioning system;    a power key for turning on or off the air conditioning system;    a mode selection key for selecting an operation mode; and    an air volume control key for selecting an air volume rate.    
   
   
       8 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller further includes: 
 a scheduler key for scheduling an operation of the air conditioning system; and    a fast/power-saving selection key for selecting a fast operation or a power-saving operation for the air conditioning system.    
   
   
       9 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one pollutant sensor installed inside or outside the air cleaning unit for measuring a pollutant level of indoor air and sending the result to the control portion of the air cleaning unit.  
   
   
       10 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 9 , wherein the pollutant sensor comprises at least one of a CO 2  sensor measuring a CO 2  level, a VOC (volatile organic compounds) sensor measuring a VOC level, and a gas sensor measuring harmful gas levels except for the CO 2  and VOC levels.  
   
   
       11 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the sensors is installed inside or outside the air cleaning unit in connection with the control portion of the air cleaning unit.  
   
   
       12 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 9 , wherein the control portion of the air cleaning unit receives the pollutant level measured by the pollutant sensor to control an air volume rate of the air conditioning system according to the pollutant level.  
   
   
       13 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 9 , wherein the control portion of the air cleaning unit controls an air volume rate of the air conditioning system based on the highest pollutant level among pollutant levels measured by the pollutant sensor.  
   
   
       14 . A method of controlling an air conditioning system, comprising: 
 turning on the air conditioning system and operating the air conditioning system in ventilation/cleaning combined mode;    determining an operation mode of the air conditioning system in response to a mode-switching instruction and operating the air conditioning system in the determined operation mode; and    turning off the air conditioning system or switching the air conditioning system to another operation mode, in response to a stop instruction or another mode-switching instruction.    
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the determining of the operation mode comprises: 
 determining whether a mode-switching instruction is inputted or not by using a control portion; and    switching the air conditioning system to an individual operation mode or an automatic mode.    
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein when the air conditioning system switches to the individual operation mode, an air cleaning unit of the air conditioning system is operated alone for performing an air cleaning function.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein when the air conditioning system switches to the individual operation mode, the air conditioning system performs an air cleaning function at a default air volume rate or an air volume rate inputted by a controller.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein when the air conditioning system switches to the automatic mode, an air volume rate of the air conditioning system is controlled according to a value measured by a pollutant sensor.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the pollutant sensor comprises at least one of a CO 2  sensor measuring a CO 2  level, a VOC sensor measuring a VOC level, and a gas sensor measuring harmful gas levels except for the VOC level, and the control portion controls the air volume rate of the air conditioning system based on the highest pollutant level among pollutant levels measured by the sensors.  
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the switching of the air conditioning system comprises: 
 determining whether another mode-switching instruction is inputted or not by using a control portion; and    if another mode-switching instruction is inputted, switching the air conditioning system to a corresponding operation mode.    
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the switching of the air conditioning system further comprises: 
 if another mode-switching instruction is inputted, displaying a mode selection screen on a display window for allowing a user to select other modes; and    allowing a user to select a desired mode using a mode selection key.    
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the operating of the air conditioning system in the ventilation/cleaning combined mode is performed optionally by a user.  
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the operating of the air conditioning system in the ventilation/cleaning combined mode is performed automatically by a predetermined program.  
   
   
       24 . A method of controlling an air conditioning system, comprising: 
 selecting an operation mode of the air conditioning system according to a mode selecting instruction inputted by a user or a predetermined program;    operating the air conditioning system in the selected operation mode for providing ventilation and/or air-cleaning;    switching the air conditioning system to another operation mode according to a mode switching instruction inputted by a user;    operating the air conditioning system in the switched operation mode; and    terminating the operation of the air conditioning system when the user inputs a stop instruction or a scheduled operation time arrives.    
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the selecting of the operation mode comprises determining whether an air cleaning unit of the air conditioning system is operated alone or in conjunction with a ventilation unit of the air conditioning system.  
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 if the air conditioning system switches to an automatic mode, determining an air volume rate of a fan of the air conditioning system based on an air pollution level measured by a pollutant sensor.    
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising: if the air conditioning system switches to an individual operation mode or a combination mode, driving a fan of the air conditioning system at an air volume rate inputted by a controller or at a default air volume rate.  
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising: operating the air conditioning system at different operational conditions in an operation mode corresponding to the anther mode-switching instruction, if another mode-switching instruction is inputted in the middle of operating the air conditioning system in the switched operation mode.  
   
   
       29 . A method of controlling an air conditioning system, comprising: 
 setting the air conditioning system to an automatic mode;    measuring a pollution level of indoor air using at least one pollutant sensor;    determining an air volume rate of a fan of the air conditioning system based on the pollution level measured by the pollutant sensor; and    driving the fan at a speed corresponding to the determined air volume rate.    
   
   
       30 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the pollution level measured using the pollutant sensor is classified into high, medium, and low.  
   
   
       31 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the pollutant sensor comprises a VOC sensor, and the pollution level of the indoor air is determined by a ratio of resistance values of the VOC sensor.  
   
   
       32 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein the ratio of the resistance values of the VOC sensor is a ratio of R s /R 0 , the R 0  being calculated as the average of resistance values of the VOC sensor measured at predetermined intervals for a predetermined time period after the VOC sensor starts operation, the R s  being calculated in the same way as the R 0  for another predetermined time period.  
   
   
       33 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein the pollution level is graded as low when the ratio is equal to or larger than 0.9, as medium when the ratio is within a range equal to or larger than 0.8 but smaller than 0.9, and as high when the ratio is smaller than 0.8.  
   
   
       34 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein the pollution level becomes higher as the ratio decreases.  
   
   
       35 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the pollutant sensor comprises a gas sensor, and the pollution level of the indoor air is determined by a ratio of resistance values of the gas sensor.  
   
   
       36 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the ratio of the resistance values of the gas sensor is a ratio of R s /R 0 , the R 0  being calculated as the average of resistance values of the gas sensor measured at predetermined intervals for a predetermined time period after the gas sensor starts operation, the R s  being calculated in the same way as the R 0  for another predetermined time period.  
   
   
       37 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the pollution level is graded as low when the ratio is equal to or larger than 0.88, as medium when the ratio is within a range equal to or larger than 0.76 but smaller than 0.88, and as high when the ratio is smaller than 0.76.  
   
   
       38 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the pollution level becomes higher as the ratio decreases.  
   
   
       39 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the pollutant sensor comprises a CO 2  sensor, and the pollution level of the indoor air is determined by a CO 2  level (ppm) measured by the CO 2  sensor.  
   
   
       40 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein the pollution level is graded as low when the CO 2  level is within a range equal to or larger than 500 ppm but smaller than 700 ppm, as medium when the CO 2  level is within a range equal to or larger than 700 ppm but smaller than 900 ppm, and as high when the CO 2  level is equal to or larger than 900 ppm.  
   
   
       41 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the determining of the air volume rate is performed by a control portion based on the highest pollutant level among pollutant levels measured by the pollutant sensor.  
   
   
       42 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the determining of the air volume rate comprises classifying the air volume rate into high, medium, and low based on the pollution level.  
   
   
       43 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the setting of the air conditioning system to the automatic mode is performed in response to an instruction inputted through a controller or automatically by a program of the air conditioning system.