Provided are a control method and apparatus for increasing the amount of a circulating refrigerant, and an air conditioner. The control method includes: when a refrigerating capacity need is equivalent to a heating capacity need in the operation of an air-conditioning system, determining whether the discharge temperature of a compressor is greater than a preset safety alert value; if the discharge temperature of the compressor is greater than the safety alert value, adjusting the frequency of a fan of an outdoor heat exchanger; and when the discharge temperature of the compressor is not greater than the safety alert value, controlling to stop the adjustment of the frequency of the fan, and maintaining the air-conditioning system to operate at the adjusted current frequency of the fan.

Provided are a control method and apparatus for increasing the amount of a circulating refrigerant, and an air conditioner. The control method includes: when a refrigerating capacity need is equivalent to a heating capacity need in the operation of an air-conditioning system, determining whether the discharge temperature of a compressor is greater than a preset safety alert value; if the discharge temperature of the compressor is greater than the safety alert value, adjusting the frequency of a fan of an outdoor heat exchanger; and when the discharge temperature of the compressor is not greater than the safety alert value, controlling to stop the adjustment of the frequency of the fan, and maintaining the air-conditioning system to operate at the adjusted current frequency of the fan.

Air conditioner units and methods of operating the same are provided. A method of operating an air conditioner unit includes measuring an ambient temperature and estimating a setpoint temperature of the air conditioner unit. The method also includes inputting the measured ambient temperature and the estimated setpoint temperature into a closed-loop control algorithm. The method further includes setting a compressor speed of the variable speed compressor based on the output of the closed-loop control algorithm. An air conditioner unit may include a controller, and the controller may be configured for performing the method.

Methods and related systems for controlling superheat in a climate control system are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes (a) determining a superheat of a refrigerant downstream of a coil of a heat exchanger of the climate control system. In addition, the method includes (b) determining that an expansion valve upstream of the heat exchanger is fully open. Further, the method includes (c) adjusting a speed of air flowing across the coil or a speed of a compressor of the climate control system after (b) based on the determination in (a) to control the superheat of the refrigerant.

A heating and cooling system that includes a condenser coil configured to receive a refrigerant. A first compressor and a second compressor that pump the refrigerant through the condenser coil. A first condenser fan and a second condenser fan that push air over the condenser coil. A controller that receives a signal indicative of an ambient air temperature, a signal indicative of an operational status of the first compressor, and a signal indicative of an operational status of the second compressor. The controller controls operation of the first condenser fan and the second condenser fan in response to the signal indicative of the ambient air temperature, the signal indicative of the operational status of the first compressor and the signal indicative of the operational status of the second compressor.

An outdoor unit includes a pressure sensor for detecting an internal pressure of a first pipe. An outdoor unit controller is configured to: receive a switching signal; control an outdoor fan and a compressor to operate in a case where the switching signal instructs the outdoor unit to operate, the compressor operating at a first frequency; acquire a current state of the indoor fan in a case where the on signal instructs the outdoor unit to shut down; and control the compressor and the outdoor fan to operate if the current state of the indoor fan is an operating state, the compressor operating at a second frequency. The second frequency is lower than the first frequency. The current state of the indoor fan is obtained according to the internal pressure of the first pipe.

An outdoor unit includes a pressure sensor for detecting an internal pressure of a first pipe. An outdoor unit controller is configured to: receive a switching signal; control an outdoor fan and a compressor to operate in a case where the switching signal instructs the outdoor unit to operate, the compressor operating at a first frequency; acquire a current state of the indoor fan in a case where the on signal instructs the outdoor unit to shut down; and control the compressor and the outdoor fan to operate if the current state of the indoor fan is an operating state, the compressor operating at a second frequency. The second frequency is lower than the first frequency. The current state of the indoor fan is obtained according to the internal pressure of the first pipe.

An information processing apparatus, based on a data set including a combination of information indicating a situation, information on the comfort of a user, and information on power consumption when an air conditioner has been operated, executes a process of determining an operation setting according to a situation when the air conditioner is operated, the comfort when the air conditioner is operated, and a condition related to the power consumption when the air conditioner is operated.

An arrangement of multiple environmental control systems for a multi-unit structure has a first environmental control system installed in a first unit, a second environmental control system installed in a second unit, a system monitor in communication with each of the environmental control systems and a firewall. Each environmental control system has a control unit coupled to the system monitor through the firewall that prevents unauthorized devices from accessing the respective control unit and a HVAC system device coupled to the respective control unit through the firewall. For each unit, a local user device that is located inside the unit is coupled to the control unit through a local communication interface, and an external user device that is located outside the unit communicates with the control unit through the firewall.

An arrangement of multiple environmental control systems for a multi-unit structure has a first environmental control system installed in a first unit, a second environmental control system installed in a second unit, a system monitor in communication with each of the environmental control systems and a firewall. Each environmental control system has a control unit coupled to the system monitor through the firewall that prevents unauthorized devices from accessing the respective control unit and a HVAC system device coupled to the respective control unit through the firewall. For each unit, a local user device that is located inside the unit is coupled to the control unit through a local communication interface, and an external user device that is located outside the unit communicates with the control unit through the firewall.