JP3494158B2 - Air conditioner management system and conversion device used therefor - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a management system for maintaining, managing, controlling, servicing an air conditioner used in a complex facility such as a building or a store, and a conversion adapter used for the management system. Communication
Protocol for Building Automation and Control Netwo
rks: ANSI / ASHRAE Standard 135-1995, Ethernet (registered trademark of XEROX Co., USA, IEEE) of specification for communication protocol of building management system which is being standardized
It is suitable for a network medium whose standard is defined in (1).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a multi-air conditioner for buildings, etc., there is a growing awareness of system upsizing, energy saving, management cost, new services, new needs, etc. It is being converted. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-79654 discloses that operating data of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit of an air conditioner are transmitted to a network via a gateway, and a centralized control unit diagnoses and controls an operating state. Has been. In addition, we collect information that shows the operating condition of the air conditioner,
Known to be viewable via the Internet,
For example, it is described in JP-A No. 11-230602.

[0003]

With the above-mentioned prior art, the standardization and compatibility with building equipment have been enhanced by the open network of the control information of the air conditioner, etc. It is difficult to say that application considering the investment effect from large scale to large scale system, system construction, response to diverse user needs, sharing, expandability, etc.

An object of the present invention is to further facilitate the connection between the air conditioner and another system, to open the system and to make multiple vendors, to improve the management efficiency and to dramatically improve the service and the like. In addition, regardless of the system scale, we provide an air conditioner management system with excellent system expandability, maintainability, and reliability, and a conversion adapter used for it, making it easy for users to develop applications for each application. It is to have a high degree of freedom so that

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an outdoor unit and an indoor unit connected by a refrigerant circulation path.
The outdoor unit and the indoor unit while configuring a refrigeration cycle
Are connected via a transmission line, control messages are sent and received, and control is performed.
Air conditioner, and monitoring and control of the air conditioner.
Air conditioner management system equipped with a monitoring device
In the system, the
The air conditioner and the monitoring device are connected to the air conditioner.
A conversion device for converting data to and from each other for transmission and reception, and the monitoring
The operation data of the air conditioner provided in the device
A status display that stores the temperature and pressure of the main parts of the refrigeration cycle.
Database and the air conditioner provided in the monitoring device
Setting data for operation stop, operation mode, air volume, and temperature are recorded.
The stored setting database, the conversion device, and the transmission line
From the control message collected every predetermined time via
Extract the operation data and store it in the state database,
If the setting data changes, the setting data
Send as a control message to the transmission line via the converter.
A trust engine, and reads the state database.
To obtain the operating data of the air conditioner,
By doing this, the air conditioner is monitored and the setting data
The air conditioner can be controlled by rewriting the base.
It is something that will be done.

In addition, in the above, the terminal device is frozen via the Internet using a Web browser.
Read the temperature and pressure of the main part of the cycle and
It is desirable to rewrite the data .

Furthermore, in the above, specific values are extracted from the state database and the setting database.
However, it is desirable to have a Web server described in the hypertext format .

Further, in the above, the control voltage is
The sentence is information indicating the system of each indoor unit and outdoor unit and the number of the unit.
Information is provided between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit as the control message.
Each is controlled based on the basic format and the modified data.
The engine has the basics for each system and number.
It is desirable to store the format in the state database .

Further, in the above, the indoor unit
And between the outdoor unit and the basic format as the above-mentioned control message.
Each is controlled based on the updated data,
Store the basic format in the state database,
If the change data is received, the above-mentioned
It is desirable to update the changed parts of this format .

Further, according to the present invention, the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are refrigerants.
It is connected by a circulation path to form a refrigeration cycle and
The outdoor unit and the indoor unit are connected by a transmission line, and control messages are sent and received.
For air conditioner management system that is controlled and controlled
Record programs for monitoring and control
It is a medium that has been collected and collects the control message every predetermined time
The operation data of the air conditioner is calculated from this control message.
Extract the temperature and pressure of the main part of the refrigeration cycle
The function of storing as a database and the air conditioner
Stores operation stop, operation mode, air volume, and temperature setting data
Function and the stored setting data has changed.
If the setting data is the control message, the air conditioning
The function to send to the machine and the program to realize
It was recorded.

Further, according to the present invention, the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are refrigerants.
It is connected by a circulation path to form a refrigeration cycle and
The outdoor unit and the indoor unit are connected by a transmission line, and control messages are sent and received.
For air conditioner management system that is controlled and controlled
Which is a program that can be
Sentences are collected and the operation data of the air conditioner is extracted from this control message.
The temperature and pressure of the main part of the refrigeration cycle are extracted as
The function to store as a discharge state database and the air
Data for setting the air conditioner operation stop, operation mode, air volume, and temperature
Function to store data and the stored setting data changes
If the setting data is set as the control message,
It realizes the function of transmitting to the air conditioner.

[0012]

[0013]

[0014]

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a management system for an air conditioner, and 100
Is a personal computer as a monitoring device, and is connected to the air conditioner 300 to be monitored and controlled through the conversion device 200.

The air conditioner 300 includes a plurality of outdoor units 30.
1, a refrigerator or a chiller unit 302, a plurality of indoor units, etc. are connected by a transmission path, and data is transmitted and received for control respectively. The outdoor unit 301 includes a compressor whose drive frequency is variable by an inverter and whose capacity is controlled, an outdoor heat exchanger, an electronic expansion valve, and the like, and a pressure sensor for detecting a discharge gas pressure value in a discharge pipe of the compressor. , A temperature sensor for detecting the temperature is provided. The indoor unit includes an indoor heat exchanger, has an electronic expansion valve, and is connected to the outdoor unit through a refrigerant circulation path to form a refrigeration cycle.

The start / stop of the air conditioner, operation mode, set air volume, set temperature, etc. are controlled by a remote controller connected to the air conditioner,
Alternatively, the instruction can be given from the centralized control device. Further, for example, when the cooling operation is instructed from the remote controller, the condensation temperature is calculated from the pressure value from the pressure sensor in the outdoor unit,
The overall electronic expansion valve opening corresponding to the optimum refrigerant flow rate for the entire refrigeration cycle is calculated by comparing with the value from the temperature sensor, and the opening of the electronic expansion valve of each indoor unit is controlled based on that. Further, when the load is high, the compressor is operated at a high rotation speed by an inverter, and is controlled so that the rotation speed becomes low as the load decreases.

The personal computer 100 and the conversion device 200 are US
B (Universal Serial Bus) 400 is connected, and the converter 200 and the air conditioner 300 are connected via a transmission line 401. The conversion device 200 includes transmission software 201 for transmitting / receiving to / from the personal computer 100 by USB, and transmission software 20 for PAC for transmitting / receiving to / from the air conditioner 300.
3. A converter 202 for converting these two data into each other is provided.

Since the conversion device 200 has a USB interface, peripheral devices such as the keyboard 705, mouse 704 and printer 706 are turned off by using the USB hub 703 in the personal computer 100 as shown in FIG. It is possible to easily add and remove the peripheral devices without any need, and the added peripheral devices are automatically detected. (Hot Plugging and Plug & Play) Also, since the conversion device 200 itself is a USB interface, power is supplied from the USB bus.

The personal computer 100 uses the operating data of the air conditioner (for example, the suction pressure, which is the temperature and pressure of the main part of the refrigeration cycle, the discharge pressure, the compressor upper temperature, the outdoor unit expansion valve opening, the indoor unit expansion). Valve 110, compressor current value, compressor frequency, outside air temperature, evaporation temperature, suction temperature, outlet temperature, freezing temperature, required frequency, gas pipe temperature, set temperature, etc.) database 110, converter 200 A device driver 130 for transmitting and receiving via USB to and from a device, an engine 120 that collects operation data and control data of each device via the device driver 130, and exchanges data with the database 110, and an application that operates using the database 110 ( 140-143).

Each application has a database 11
By accessing 0, the monitoring and control of the air conditioner is specifically realized. Air conditioner 300 with application
If the data is required, it is obtained by reading the area of the state database 111 of the database 110, and the air conditioner is monitored by the data. Moreover, when controlling the air conditioner 300 from an application, the control content is rewritten to the area of the setting database 112 of the database 110. This allows the application to control (= run / run) any system, indoor unit of the unit, for example.
Items that can be set by remote control such as stop, operation mode, set air volume, set temperature, louver position, etc. can be performed. Also,
By limiting the access conditions to the database, it is possible to allow one application A to monitor only and to use the other applications B properly for monitoring and control.

The engine 120 sends a basic format request to each device connected to the transmission line 401 at regular intervals (one minute cycle), for example, via the device driver 130 and the conversion device 200. Send a telegram, collect operation data and control information of each device, and set database 1
When the data of 12 changes, the data is converted into a control message and transmitted to the transmission path 401 via the device driver 130 and the conversion device 200.

The engine 120 also extracts the data part of the electronic message collected from the transmission line 401 and stores it in the state database having the structure shown in FIG. In FIG. 8, the indoor unit database is organized by the system to which the outdoor unit is connected to the outdoor unit and the number of the unit in that system, as shown in the upper part of the figure. Format data is stored. Similarly,
The outdoor units, heat storage units, etc. are organized by unit number for each system, as shown in the middle and lower rows of the figure.

The message on the transmission line 401 is transmitted in the format as shown in FIG. 5, the header part and the error check data are always added, and the remaining 40 bytes of data are set according to arbitrary specifications for each model. There is. Since each device has a unique system and number, the information (identification code, type code, source system, source number,
By setting the destination system and destination machine, you can send a message (called individual message) to a specific device. Also, by setting FFh in the transmission destination machine, it is possible to mean that all devices are notified without specifying the transmission partner (referred to as broadcast telegram).

Each device connected on the transmission path 401 transmits under a condition such as a response message to a request, change data, and a fixed cycle. Response message to request (Request for current control information from other device (basic format request)
6) in the case of the basic format from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit.

When the control information managed by itself changes
The change data is transmitted (for example, when the blowout temperature changes in the indoor unit or when an alarm is detected).
As described above, with respect to the data of the basic format, the data is a set of the data position when 9 bytes are set to 0 and the changed data content, and when a plurality of data are changed at the same time, up to 20 items can be transmitted.

When the outdoor unit requests the indoor unit for the basic format, the data is transmitted at a constant cycle.
Between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, control information (suction pressure, discharge pressure, compressor temperature, outdoor unit expansion valve opening, indoor unit expansion valve opening, compressor current value, compression) (Equipment, frequency, outside temperature, evaporation temperature, suction temperature, blowout temperature, freezing temperature, required frequency, gas pipe temperature, set temperature, etc.), and mounted on the control board of each device based on the control information. Microcomputer determines the control contents,
Control each device.

Exchanging control information (operation / stop, operation mode, set air volume, set temperature, louver position, suction temperature, blowout temperature, alarm, etc.) between the indoor unit and the centralized control device according to the basic format and change data. To do. The centralized control device displays the control information collected from each indoor unit to the user, and transmits the input result of the setting value from the user to each indoor unit.

Based on the setting information of each indoor unit, the microcomputer mounted on the control board determines the control content and controls each indoor unit. Further, when the collected data is in the basic format, the engine 120 overwrites and updates the data in the storage area of the device as it is, and in the case of changed data, the engine 120 overwrites and updates only the data of the changed portion in the basic format storage area.

FIG. 2 shows applications (140 to 143)
And an operation screen thereof is shown. The user has the NO. Is registered, and the start / stop button 504 for each group is displayed on the screen together with its name. By clicking (or pushing) this button with, for example, a mouse, control is realized by writing an operation or stop command for the group in the setting database 112. That is, when the command is written, the engine 12
It is informed that the data in the setting database 112 has changed to 0, and the engine 120 converts the transmitted data into a control message, and then the device driver-130 and the conversion device 2
The outdoor unit and the indoor unit that are transmitted to the transmission path 401 via 00 and become the respective devices belonging to the commanded group are controlled by the microcomputer installed based on the transmitted information.

However, the transmitted data is, for example, data for setting the start / stop of the air conditioner, the operation mode, the air volume, and the temperature, and the drive frequency of the compressor provided in the outdoor unit,
The opening degree of the expansion valve provided in each of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit is protected so as not to be controlled. With this protection, control as an air conditioner, for example, the drive frequency of the compressor is directly controlled, and it is possible to prevent confusion such that the relationship with the required capacity becomes different from the initial setting.

Further, the all-system batch operation button 501 or the all-system batch stop button 502 controls the operation or stop of all the air conditioners.

FIG. 3 is an operation screen showing an example of the control applications 140 to 143 in each air conditioner, and the user selects an arbitrary air conditioner to be controlled by the system selection 601 and the machine number selection 602. . The selected air conditioner temperature setting 603, set air volume 604, louver position setting 605, operation mode 606, start / stop 607, remote controller permission or prohibition setting 608, etc. are set to arbitrary states.

The operating conditions are set by setting temperature, operating mode,
Display like air volume, louver setting, etc. The set temperature is displayed as a numerical value, and the numerical value can be changed by clicking the up and down buttons. The operation mode is indicated by buttons such as ventilation, cooling, heating, dry, and automatic, and is designated respectively. The air volume is specified by clicking on the button display like automatic, weak wind, strong wind, and rapid wind. The louver setting is provided with an automatic display, a set, and a simulated display portion for displaying the position of the louver by changing it in stages. When setting the wind direction,
When the display changes according to the movement of the louver of the indoor unit, the button of the set is clicked, the change of the display is stopped, and the position of the louver of the indoor unit is determined in relation to the stopped display position. Remote control permission or prohibition setting 608
As shown in the figure, etc., each item, all functions, operation stop, operation change, air volume, temperature, louver are displayed, and buttons for permit and stop are provided.

When it is necessary for the application to display the current setting items, the data in the state database 111 is read and the result is displayed on the screen. Moreover, if a process of converting the database of the air conditioner into data conforming to a standardized protocol such as BACnet is added, it becomes possible to easily shift to open.

Further, a specific measurement value from the database,
Extract the controlled variables, edit and display them in tables, graphs, etc.
The cycle condition of the air conditioner is automatically analyzed based on the data, and the result of analysis and the coping method are displayed to the user.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a terminal device 70 is connected to a personal computer 100 as a monitoring device via the Internet.
0, mobile phone 7 that can receive mail and browse websites
01 (or PDA: personal information device), or connect a monitoring center 700 that analyzes and monitors operation data to determine abnormalities and perform maintenance and inspection, and reads operation data and rewrites setting data from them. To do. Alternatively, the personal computer 100 itself is used as the state database 11
1 and a Web server described in a hypertext format based on the setting database 112, the data of the air conditioner is browsed and controlled from another PC 702 with a browser, a mobile phone 701, or the like. As a result, not only customers who use air conditioners, but also building owners, building managers, management companies, maintenance management departments, design and development departments can speed up information transmission and share information. , Can provide more advanced and accurate service quickly.

The state database 111 and the setting database 112 may be provided in the monitoring center 700 instead of the personal computer 100. In this case, the personal computer 100
May be used as a client, and the monitoring center 700 may be used as a web server and a database server in a three-tier system web system. By using a simple three-layer system, it is possible to provide abundant development tools, improve the efficiency of user development of applications, and easily handle multimedia such as images, graphs, audio, and videos. And the personal computer 10 which is the client
0 is equipped with a web browser and transmits / receives to / from the monitoring center 700 which is a web server in HTML or XML format. If a Java applet is stored on the monitoring center 700, it can be downloaded to the personal computer 100 via HTTP and executed. Therefore, more advanced processing and display can be performed on the personal computer 100. Further, the monitoring center 700 is C
If it is possible to make an inquiry to the state database 111 or the setting database 112 using GI,
A more interactive Web page can be created on the personal computer 100 that serves as a browser.

In the above, since the application refers only to the database and rewrites for control, the same hardware and software configuration are used.
By changing only the application or upgrading the version, it is possible to easily operate by application such as a system dedicated to monitoring, a system dedicated to control, a system dedicated to maintenance. In addition, by releasing (selling) the database and its specifications, users can independently develop desired applications.

Furthermore, since it is possible to reduce the changes when adding a new model of the air conditioner, it is possible to shorten the response time and easily manage the model-specific information, and the maintenance of the management device itself is improved. To do.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention, an air conditioner such as a multi air conditioner system can be opened.
Multi-vendoring will be implemented, which will enable highly efficient management and dramatically improve services and the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a batch start / stop screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing an individual control screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing an overall system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a list diagram showing a message format on a transmission line according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a list diagram showing a basic format of data transmitted from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a list diagram showing change data when the blowout temperature of the indoor unit changes in the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a list diagram showing data stored in a database in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 ... Monitoring device (personal computer), 110 ... Database, 111 ... Status database, 112 ... Setting database, 120 ... Engine, 130 ... Device driver,
140, 141, 142, 143 ... Application,
200 ... Conversion device, 201 ... Transmission software, 202 ... Converter, 203 ... PAC transmission software, 300 ... Air conditioner, 301 ... Outdoor unit, 302 ... Indoor unit, 500 ... Batch start / stop screen (annunciator), 501 ... All Air conditioner batch operation instruction button, 502 ... All air conditioner batch stop instruction button, 5
03 ... Display method change button, 504 ... Individual group start / stop button, 600 ... Individual operation control screen, 601 ... Air conditioner selection input unit (system), 602 ... Air conditioner selection input unit (Unit), 603 ... Temperature setting input Section, 604 ... Air volume selection section,
605 ... Louver setting unit, 606 ... Operation mode selection, 60
7 ... Start / stop setting unit, 608 ... Remote control permission prohibition setting unit.

Front Page Continuation (72) Inventor Makoto Ito 390 Muramatsu, Shimizu City, Shizuoka Prefecture Hitachi Air Conditioning Systems Co., Ltd. Shimizu Production Headquarters (56) References JP-A-11-264595 (JP, A) JP-A-11-230602 ( JP, A) JP 4-292742 (JP, A) JP 11-344249 (JP, A) JP 9-79654 (JP, A) JP 6-98381 (JP, A) JP Flat 11-132539 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F24F 11/02 F24F 11/02 103

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. An outdoor unit and an indoor unit are connected by a refrigerant circulation path.
In addition to configuring a refrigeration cycle, the outdoor unit and the indoor unit
Control is performed by connecting via a transmission line and sending and receiving control messages.
Air conditioner and monitoring and control for the air conditioner
In a management system of an air conditioner including a monitoring device for performing the above, a connection is made to the air conditioner via the monitoring device and a transmission path.
Data of the air conditioner and the monitoring device are mutually changed.
A conversion device that exchanges and transmits and receives , and operating data of the air conditioner provided in the monitoring device,
Then, the temperature and pressure of the main part of the refrigeration cycle are stored.
Status database, and the operation and shutdown of the air conditioner provided in the monitoring device.
Setting data that stores the setting data for the rotation mode, air volume, and temperature.
Database and the conversion device and transmission path to collect data at predetermined intervals
The operation data is extracted from the control message
If the setting data is stored in the database and changed,
If the setting data is used as the control message, the conversion device
And a engine to be transmitted to the transmission path via the air by reading the state database
Obtain operating data of air conditioner, and thereby air conditioning
Monitor the machine and rewrite the setting database.
And the control of the air conditioner is performed by
Air conditioner management system. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a Web browser is used from a terminal device via the Internet.
Read the temperature and pressure of the main part of the refrigeration cycle and
An air conditioner management system characterized by rewriting constant data . 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a specific value is acquired from the state database and the setting database.
An air conditioner management system comprising a Web server that is extracted and described in a hypertext format . 4. The control according to claim 1, wherein:
The telegram shows the system and the number of each indoor unit and outdoor unit.
It has information, and the control message between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit is
Control based on basic format and changed data
The engine has the base for each system and number.
An air conditioner management system, characterized in that the format is stored in the state database . 5. The room according to claim 1, wherein:
Between the machine and the outdoor unit, there is a basic format as the control message.
Each is controlled based on the change data, the engine
Store the basic format in the state database
If the change data is received, follow the change data before
An air conditioner management system characterized by updating the changed part of the basic format . 6. The outdoor unit and the indoor unit are connected by a refrigerant circulation path.
In addition to configuring a refrigeration cycle, the outdoor unit and the indoor unit
Control is performed by connecting via a transmission line and sending and receiving control messages.
Monitoring and control used in air conditioner management system
A medium for recording a program for realizing
The control message is collected every predetermined time, and from this control message
As operation data of the air conditioner,
The temperature and pressure of the main parts are extracted and stored as a state database.
Functions, and the operation and shutdown of the air conditioner.
Function to store the setting data of
If the setting data that has been changed changes, the setting data
A function of transmitting to the air conditioner as the control message,
A medium on which a program for realizing the above is recorded. 7. The outdoor unit and the indoor unit are connected by a refrigerant circulation path.
In addition to configuring a refrigeration cycle, the outdoor unit and the indoor unit
Control is performed by connecting via a transmission line and sending and receiving control messages.
Program used for air conditioner management system
That is, the control message is taken every predetermined time and
From the telegram, the refrigeration as the operation data of the air conditioner
The temperature and pressure of the main part of the cycle are extracted and the status database is
A function of storing the air conditioner, and stopping the operation of the air conditioner,
Function to memorize setting data of operation mode, air volume, temperature
When the stored setting data changes, the setting
Be transmitted to the air conditioner a constant data as the control telegram
A program that realizes the following functions.