A current path of a first transistor is connected in series to a communication line. When the electric current through the current path of the first transistor becomes equal to or greater than a set electric current, a current-limiting controller limits the electric current through the current path by controlling the first transistor to increase the resistance of the current path. When the end-to-end voltage of the current path of the first transistor becomes equal to or greater than a set voltage, a load limiter switches the first transistor off.

An outdoor unit of an air conditioner is provided that improves work efficiency at the time of installation and maintenance of the outdoor unit and prevents a cover for covering an opening from being unintentionally left open. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner includes an electrical box, a housing that covers the electrical box to form an contour, an electrical box cover member that covers components inside the electrical box, a housing cover that covers the electrical box cover member from outside, wherein the electrical box cover member has a work opening and has an opening cover that covers the work opening mounted thereon, and in which the housing cover abuts on the opening cover in a state of the opening cover being open.

An air treatment system (100) is provided that comprises an air purifier (110) arranged to treat a first parameter of ambient air; a controller (130) arranged to control operation of the air purifier (110); and a sensor (120) arranged to detect a value indicative of the first parameter, and to output sensor data indicative of the value to the controller. The controller (130) is arranged to determine whether the sensor (120) and the air purifier (110) are in a same air space by controlling the air purifier (110) to operate in a test mode and analyzing sensor data from the sensor (120) received during the test mode. If the sensor (120) and the air purifier (110) are determined to be in the same air space, the controller (130) is arranged to control the air purifier (110) to operate in a mode based on sensor data from the sensor (120).

In a central air-conditioning system and method, a distribution mechanism distributes warm air or cool air generated by an air-conditioning unit to a plurality of rooms in a house. A control device controls the distribution mechanism to adjust a temperature of each room. A plurality of room terminals are provided as a device each dedicated to a room. Each room terminal receives an input of a preset temperature for the room and detects temperature of the room, and outputs the received preset temperature and the detected room temperature to the control device. The control device judges whether or not a specified room terminal is mounted in a specified room, based on a transition of control of the distribution mechanism in the specified room and a change in the detected temperature. The control device stops air-conditioning the specified room when judged that the specified room terminal is not mounted in the specified room.

A smart-home device may include wire connectors that couple to an inductive power coil and a load, one or more solid-state switching elements having a first operating state in which they create a connection between the wire connectors and a second operating state in which the connection is interrupted. The smart-home device may cause the switching element(s) to operate in the first operating state to power the load; detect an anomaly from measurements from power monitoring circuitry; cause the switching element(s) to operate in the second operating state for at least a first time interval; and after the expiration of the first time interval, cause the one or more switching elements to operate in the first operating state and determine whether the anomaly is still present.

An outdoor unit of an air conditioner is provided that improves work efficiency at the time of installation and maintenance of the outdoor unit and prevents a cover for covering an opening from being unintentionally left open. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner includes an electrical box, a housing that covers the electrical box to form an contour, an electrical box cover member that covers components inside the electrical box, a housing cover that covers the electrical box cover member from outside, wherein the electrical box cover member has a work opening and has an opening cover that covers the work opening mounted thereon, and in which the housing cover abuts on the opening cover in a state of the opening cover being open.

Various embodiments disclosed herein relate to a bracket structure for fastening pipes in an outdoor unit of an air conditioner. To this end, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner may include: a bracket configured by fastening a right-side part of an upper plate and a left-side part of a lower plate so that the surfaces thereof partially overlap, wherein one or a plurality of first service valves are mounted on the right-side part of the upper plate and one or a plurality of second service valves are mounted on the left-side part of the lower plate; and a housing configured so that the bracket is fastened to the lower end of one surface.

Various arrangements for installing or configuring an electronic device are presented. The device may determine which wire connectors of a set of one or more wire connectors have a wire attached. A user inquiry may be output based on the electronic device identifying the wire connector with which the wire has been connected. The electronic device may be operated based on the response to the user inquiry and the electronic device identifying the wire connector with which the wire has been connected.

A user-friendly programmable thermostat is described that includes a body having a central electronic display surrounded by a ring that can be rotated and pressed inwardly to provide user input in a simple and elegant fashion. The current temperature and setpoint temperature are graphically displayed as prominent tick marks over a range of background tick marks on the electronic display. Different colors can be displayed to indicate currently active HVAC functions, and different intensities of colors can be displayed to indicate an amount of heating or cooling required to reach a target temperature. The setpoint temperature for the device can be altered by user rotation of the rotatable ring, and the programmed schedule can be displayed to the user and altered by the user by virtue of rotations and inward pressings of the ring. Initial device set up and installation, the viewing of device operation, the editing of various settings, and the viewing of historical energy usage information are made simple and elegant by virtue of the described form factor, display modalities, and user input modalities of the device.

In certain embodiments, a controller turns a heat pump system on in heating mode or cooling mode and determines a position for the heat pump system's reversing valve based on an O/B setting. The O/B setting indicates to configure the reversing valve in a first position that causes refrigerant to flow in a first direction when in heating mode and in a second position that causes the refrigerant to flow in a second, opposite direction when in cooling mode. The controller determines whether to maintain or reverse the O/B setting. If the heat pump system heats while in the heating mode or cools while in the cooling mode, the O/B setting is maintained. If the heat pump system cools while in the heating mode or heats while in the cooling mode, the O/B setting is reversed.