Air conditioner and method of controlling an air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner is provided that include an outdoor unit configured to implement heat exchange of refrigerant, at least one indoor unit configured to implement exchange of refrigerant with the outdoor unit and air conditioning of indoor air, and an electricity reception device configured to receive an electricity regulation signal indicating a level with regard to electricity usage and to transmit a level signal indicating the level of the electricity regulation signal to the outdoor unit or the indoor unit. The outdoor unit or the indoor unit, which has received the level signal, controls operation of the at least one indoor unit connected thereto based on the level of the electricity regulation signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 an outdoor device configured to implement heat exchange with a refrigerant;   at least one indoor device configured to implement exchange of refrigerant with the outdoor device to air condition indoor air; and   an electricity reception device configured to receive an electricity regulation signal indicating a level with regard to electricity usage and to transmit a level signal indicating the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal to the outdoor device or the at least one indoor device, wherein the outdoor device or the indoor device checks required electricity consumption from the level signal upon receiving the level signal, and controls an operating state thereof to conform to the required electricity consumption.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the electricity reception device includes a switching circuit configured to output different signals based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the outdoor device includes a compressor having an inverter configured to adjust an operation frequency thereof, and wherein the outdoor device controls the operation frequency of the compressor based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 3 , wherein the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal is one of a first level, a second level, or a third level, wherein the outdoor device stops operation of the compressor when the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal is the first level, wherein the outdoor device changes the operation frequency of the compressor to approximately 50% when the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal is the second level, and wherein the outdoor device changes the operation frequency of the compressor to approximately 75% when the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal is the third level. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the outdoor device or the at least one indoor device implements an operation to control an operating degree of a blowing fan of the outdoor device or the at least one indoor device, respectively, based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal upon receiving the level signal. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one indoor device comprises a plurality of indoor devices connected to the outdoor device, and wherein, when the outdoor device receives the level signal, the outdoor device differently controls an operating state of each of the plurality of indoor devices based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 6 , wherein the outdoor device determines whether or not each of the plurality of indoor devices will be operated based on priorities of the plurality of indoor devices. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the at least one indoor device receives the level signal, the at least one indoor device adjusts a set flow rate or a set temperature based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal, the set flow rate being a set amount of air to be discharged from the at least one indoor device, and the set temperature being a set target air conditioning temperature of indoor air. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one indoor device includes a plurality of indoor devices, wherein the plurality of indoor devices includes a master indoor device and a plurality of indoor slave devices connected to the master indoor device, and wherein the master indoor device differently controls operation of the respective indoor slave devices based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal upon receiving the level signal. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 9 , wherein the outdoor device or the respective indoor units implements an operation to adjust electricity consumption for a predetermined period of time, and then returns to normal operation. 
     
     
         11 . A method of controlling an air conditioner, comprising:
 receiving an electricity regulation signal indicating a level with regard to electricity usage;   outputting a level signal indicating the level of the electricity regulation signal; and   implementing an operation, by an outdoor device or at least one indoor device connected to the outdoor device, to adjust electricity consumption of the air conditioner by adjusting electricity consumption of the outdoor device or the at least one indoor device connected to the outdoor device based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein, upon implementation of the operation, the outdoor device or the at least one indoor device, which has received the level signal, implements an operation to control an operating degree of a blowing fan. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein implementation of the operation includes controlling operation of a compressor, configured to compress refrigerant, based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal, wherein the compressor includes an inverter configured to adjust an operation frequency, and wherein implementation of the operation includes controlling the operation frequency of the compressor based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein implementation of the operation includes checking required electricity consumption from the level signal. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein, upon implementation of the operation, the at least one indoor device, which has received the level signal, adjusts a set flow rate or a set temperature based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal, the set flow rate being a set amount of air to be discharged from the indoor device, and the set temperature being a set target air conditioning temperature of indoor air. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the outdoor device, which has received the level signal, is connected to a plurality of indoor devices, and wherein, upon implementation of the operation, the outdoor device differently controls an operating state of each of the plurality of indoor devices based on required electricity consumption checked from the level signal. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the outdoor device, which has received the level signal, is connected to a plurality of indoor devices, and wherein, upon implementation of the operation, the outdoor device prioritizes the plurality of indoor devices and determines whether or not each of the plurality of indoor devices will be operated based on the priorities. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein, upon implementation of the operation, the at least one indoor device adjusts a set flow rate or a set temperature based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal, the set flow rate being a set amount of air to be discharged from the indoor device, and the set temperature being a set target air conditioning temperature of indoor air. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one indoor device comprises a master indoor device and a plurality of indoor slave devices connected to the master indoor device, and wherein, upon implementation of the operation, the master indoor device differently controls operation of the respective indoor slave devices based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal upon receiving the level signal. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein, upon implementation of the operation, the outdoor device or the at least one indoor device implements an operation to adjust electricity consumption for a predetermined period of time, and then returns to normal operation. 
     
     
         21 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 an outdoor device including a compressor, a heat exchanger, an expansion device, and a fan;   at least one indoor device in communication with the outdoor device to perform air conditioning of indoor air, the at least one indoor device including a heat exchanger and a fan; and   an electricity reception device including a switching circuit configured to output different signals based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal configured to receive an electricity regulation signal indicating a level with regard to electricity usage and to transmit a level signal indicating the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal to the outdoor device or the at least one indoor device, wherein the outdoor device or the indoor device checks required electricity consumption from the level signal upon receiving the level signal, and controls an operating state thereof to conform to the required electricity consumption.   
     
     
         22 . The air conditioner according to  claim 21 , wherein the compressor of the outdoor device includes an inverter configured to adjust an operation frequency thereof, and wherein the outdoor device controls the operation frequency of the compressor based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal. 
     
     
         23 . The air conditioner according to  claim 22 , wherein the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal is one of a first level, a second level, or a third level, wherein the outdoor device stops operation of the compressor when the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal is the first level, wherein the outdoor device changes the operation frequency of the compressor to approximately 50% when the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal is the second level, and wherein the outdoor device changes the operation frequency of the compressor to approximately 75% when the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal is the third level. 
     
     
         24 . The air conditioner according to  claim 21 , wherein the outdoor device or the at least one indoor device implements an operation to control an operating degree of the fan of the outdoor device or the fan of the at least one indoor device, respectively, based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal upon receiving the level signal. 
     
     
         25 . The air conditioner according to  claim 21 , wherein the at least one indoor device comprises a plurality of indoor devices connected to the outdoor device, and wherein, when the outdoor device receives the level signal, the outdoor device differently controls an operating state of each of the plurality of indoor devices based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal. 
     
     
         26 . The air conditioner according to  claim 25 , wherein the outdoor device determines whether or not each of the plurality of indoor devices will be operated based on priorities of the plurality of indoor devices. 
     
     
         27 . The air conditioner according to  claim 21 , wherein, when the at least one indoor device receives the level signal, the at least one indoor device adjusts a set flow rate or a set temperature based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal, the set flow rate being a set amount of air to be discharged from the at least one indoor device, and the set temperature being a set target air conditioning temperature of indoor air. 
     
     
         28 . The air conditioner according to  claim 21 , wherein the at least one indoor device includes a plurality of indoor devices, wherein the plurality of indoor devices includes a master indoor device and a plurality of indoor slave devices connected to the master indoor device, and wherein the master indoor device differently controls operation of the respective indoor slave devices based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal upon receiving the level signal. 
     
     
         29 . The air conditioner according to  claim 21 , wherein the outdoor device or the at least one indoor unit implements an operation to adjust electricity consumption for a predetermined period of time, and then returns to normal operation. 
     
     
         30 . The air conditioner according to  claim 21 , wherein the compressor of the outdoor unit is turned on or off based on the level indicated by the electricity regulation signal. 
     
     
         31 . The air conditioner according to  claim 21 , wherein the electricity reception device is in communication with at least one of the outdoor device or the at least one indoor device. 
     
     
         32 . The air conditioner according to  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the outdoor device or the at least one indoor device includes a memory, a processor, and a communication device. 
     
     
         33 . The air conditioner according to  claim 21 , wherein the at least one indoor device includes a display.