KR101936634B1 - Management system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a central management system including an air conditioner that secures reliability and improves efficiency. The central management system including the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention sets information provided according to an account differently so as to unnecessarily limit information exposure to a large number of users, It is effective to manage the information easily and improve the efficiency and convenience of the user's control and management.

Description

Management system including air conditioner {Management system}

The present invention relates to a central management system including an air conditioner, and more particularly, to a central management system including an air conditioner that manages a device through a network connection in a system in which a plurality of devices including an air conditioner are connected to a network .

Generally, an air conditioner uses a refrigeration cycle of a refrigerant composed of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion mechanism, and an evaporator to cool or heat the room to create a more comfortable indoor environment for the user.

In the case of industrial air conditioners or central air conditioners, water is cooled in a cooler consisting of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator, and water in a cooler is used to air the interior of a large building such as a building, a factory or a gymnasium .

In recent years, a system has been spreading not only an air conditioner but also a ventilation device, a cooling device, a lighting device,

Especially, in a chain system located in the whole country, facility equipment including an air conditioner is installed at each branch, and a network is constructed to manage such facility equipment.

However, there are many difficulties in systematically managing a plurality of equipments installed in such a wide range.

Particularly, as the number of chains increases, the number of users connected to the network also increases. Therefore, problems such as exposure of information at other points may occur.

Accordingly, there is a demand for a system capable of integrally managing information while protecting mutual information by making a difference in display of information on the system.

KR20040019432A

An object of the present invention is to provide a central management system including an air conditioner that sets an authority to a person in a system in which an equipment including an air conditioner is installed and manages the equipment in such a manner that information corresponding to the set authority can be displayed and controlled .

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a central management system comprising: an equipment including an air conditioner; A plurality of point controllers connected to and controlled by the facility equipment and each installed at a plurality of locations and connected to the network; And a central server, connected to the plurality of branch controllers, for monitoring and controlling a plurality of apparatuses according to respective branches, and setting an account to which control authority is given to the branch controllers, And provides the at least one point controller and the statistical information according to the time or data type of the facility equipment in response to the control authority granted to the facility controller.

The central management system including the air conditioner of the present invention sets authority to each branch office user in a system in which each branch where facility apparatuses including an air conditioner are connected to each other to form a network, Can be displayed and control can be performed related to the branch point. In the center, it is possible to monitor and control information on a plurality of branches with high authority, and information about other branches is not exposed through the display of information according to the authority, It is possible to limit information exposure, and it is effective to improve convenience and efficiency by managing each branch and central management of plural branches easily.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a configuration of a system in which a plurality of points provided with facility equipments including an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention are interconnected. FIG.
2 is a diagram illustrating an example in which equipment installed in a branch according to an embodiment of the present invention is disposed.
3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration according to a central server connection according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a central server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration for a controller in a branch office in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example in which management information is displayed according to an authority.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The advantages and features of the present invention, and the manner of achieving them, will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. To fully disclose the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings for explaining a central management system including an air conditioner according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a configuration of a system in which a plurality of points provided with facility equipments including an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention are interconnected. FIG.

There are a plurality of points (20) where facility equipments including an air conditioner are installed, and a plurality of points are connected to each other and communicate with each other at a central point (1).

The local server 10 may further include a local server 10 connected to at least one of the plurality of points to manage the point and connected to the central server. The local server may be a separate server relaying the branch server and the central server, or one of the plurality of branches may operate as the server.

At this time, the branch office is distributed in the whole country and connected to the central server to form one network, and the central server 1 monitors and manages a plurality of branches.

For example, each branch can be a chain store of a convenience store, a bakery, and the like.

Each point is assigned a unique ID, and the central server sends and receives data within the point through the ID assigned to each point.

At this time, the central server and each of the branches are assigned IDs having different rights, and data displayed according to the authority set in the ID when accessing using the ID is limited.

That is, when connecting to the central server through the branch ID, only the data for the corresponding branch is received from the central server and information is displayed. However, in the case of the ID assigned to the intermediate server, information about several points connected to the intermediate server among a plurality of points can be provided from the central server and displayed.

2 is a diagram illustrating an example in which equipment installed in a branch according to an embodiment of the present invention is disposed.

Referring to FIG. 2, equipment such as shown is installed at each point.

The interior of the branch office is equipped with air-conditioner, cooler, heater, air-conditioning and heating equipment, lighting equipment and security equipment to control the air inside the branch office. It also includes a controller 81 for controlling and monitoring each facility.

The air conditioner includes an outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor units (51), and at least one indoor unit is provided. A plurality of indoor units can air-condition the indoor units, and a plurality of indoor units can be operated together or independently according to indoor air-conditioning loads.

Further, the air conditioner may include a ventilation unit, an air cleaning unit, or the like, which mixes room air circulated inside the room with fresh outdoor air.

The lighting devices 61 and 62 are controlled by a switch to which a plurality of lighting fixtures are respectively connected.

The refrigerator or showcase 71, 72 is used to store food by keeping the interior at a set temperature. The showcase exposes the cold air according to the cooling cycle, so that the internal temperature is lowered.

At this time, the indoor unit of the air conditioner is connected to the outdoor unit, the refrigerant pipe, and the communication line, and receives the refrigerant and communicates with the connected outdoor unit.

Here, the indoor unit includes an indoor heat exchanger (not shown), an indoor unit fan (not shown), an expansion valve (not shown) to which refrigerant supplied is expanded, and a plurality of sensors (not shown).

The outdoor unit includes a compressor (not shown) for receiving and compressing refrigerant, a heat exchanging outdoor heat exchanger (not shown) for exchanging refrigerant and outdoor air, an accumulator (not shown) for extracting gas refrigerant from the supplied refrigerant, And a four-way valve (not shown) for selecting the flow path of the refrigerant according to the heating operation.

The facility equipment installed at the point is managed by the controller 81 in the branch office, and information on the data and the power consumption of each equipment is managed in the operation state of each equipment.

The controller 81 stores measured power amount data, stores control data and operation status data for each device, and is connected to a central server to transmit and receive data.

In addition, the controller 81 changes the control setting for each device according to the data received from the central server, and monitors its operation.

At this time, the controller 81 can receive the control data for the corresponding point and receive the control record by accessing the central server 1 through the ID assigned to the point.

3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration according to a central server connection according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the central server 1 communicates with the controller by the connection of the controller 91 installed at each point, collects data, transmits control commands, and provides information about the points.

In addition, the central server 1 may be connected to an intermediate server to collect data on a plurality of points, and provide information on predetermined points.

The central server 1 can also provide data for a predetermined point to the connection of the portable terminal 93 or the external terminal 92. [

At this time, the central server 1 provides different information according to the connected terminal or the connected ID.

The central server 1 transmits the information about the corresponding point when the controllers 81 and 91 installed at the respective points are identifiable, and when the connection is made through the external connection, for example, a portable terminal or an external terminal, And transmits information corresponding thereto.

At this time, the IDs assigned to the respective points are granted the right to browse information about the corresponding points, and in the case of the IDs assigned to the intermediate servers, the rights are granted to a plurality of points connected to the intermediate server.

Therefore, the data provided from the central server differs according to the connection ID, and the information output on the screen differs accordingly.

4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a central server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

4, the central server 1 includes a data unit 160, a communication unit 150, a server management unit 120, an input unit 130, an output unit 140, and a central control unit 110 ).

The server management unit 120 controls the provision of data according to the connection of the controller 81, the intermediate server or the portable terminal and the external terminal at each point, and processes the input data.

The server management unit 120 performs authentication of the connected ID and transmits data corresponding to the ID assigned to the ID according to the authentication result.

In the data unit 160, authorization data 162 for storing authentication information and authorized authority data for each ID, point data 161 received and accumulated from each point, control data for central server operation and control (163).

The input unit 130 includes at least one input means such as a keypad, receives a command for a point, receives a command for the operation of the central server, and applies the command to the central control unit.

The output unit 140 outputs an operation state and a communication state of the central server, and outputs a specific effect sound or a warning sound in some cases.

In addition, the output unit 140 provides an interface for controlling and monitoring a plurality of points, and outputs data for a selected point according to an input of the input unit 130 on the screen.

The communication unit 150 transmits / receives data to / from a controller or an intermediate server installed at a plurality of points, and transmits / receives data in response to connection of a mobile terminal or a referral terminal, as the case may be.

The central control unit 110 allocates an ID for each point and sets and stores an authority according to the ID.

The central control unit 110 stores data for each point received through the communication unit in the data unit 160 and controls data provided through the server management unit 120. [ In particular, when the authentication based on the ID connected through the server management unit 120 is completed, the central control unit 110 provides predetermined data according to the authority assigned to the ID.

 5 is a block diagram illustrating a controller control arrangement within a point in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

 5, the controller 81 provided at each point includes a lighting control unit 260, an air conditioner control unit 270, a refrigeration control unit 280, a data unit 220, a communication unit 250, an input unit 230 An output unit 240, and a point control unit 210 for controlling the entire operation of the controller.

The input unit 230 includes at least one button and a switch, receives a control command for each equipment, and applies the control command to the point control unit.

The output unit 140 outputs data on the operation state of each equipment, outputs a control interface for each equipment in the spot, and outputs a specific sound or a warning sound depending on the case.

The data unit 220 stores operation information on an air conditioner, lighting, and a showcase, and stores data received from a central server. In addition, the data unit 220 stores information on the measured power amount.

The point control unit 210 generates control commands for an air conditioner, an illumination, a showcase, and the like in response to a command input through the input unit or a command received from the central server through the communication unit 250, The control unit, and the refrigeration control unit.

The point control unit 210 receives a strategic amount from a power meter, analyzes power consumption according to each device, and collects information on the operation status of each device.

The point control unit 210 transmits operation information and power consumption information of the device to the central server 1 through the communication unit 250. [ In some cases, it can be transferred to the intermediate server and transferred to the central server through the intermediate server.

In addition, the point control unit 210 can receive and measure the internal temperature, the external temperature, and the humidity in the point through the plurality of sensors.

The air conditioner control unit 270 controls the operation of the outdoor unit 271, the indoor unit 272, and the ventilator 273 in accordance with the control command of the point control unit 210.

The air conditioner control unit 270 controls the compressor to operate according to the indoor unit setting and controls the operation frequency of the compressor to control the operation of the outdoor unit so that the cold and hot air is discharged into the room.

Also, the air conditioner control unit 270 controls the operation of the ventilator in accordance with the degree of contamination of the indoor air, and controls the ventilator to operate in conjunction with the operation of the indoor unit.

The illumination control unit 260 controls the brightness of each illumination according to the switch input and the control command of the point control unit 210.

The refrigeration control unit 280 controls the temperature of the showcase 281 according to the setting and controls the cooling cycle accordingly.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example in which management information is displayed according to an authority.

The branch point control unit 210 transmits information on operation information and power consumption of facility equipment in a branch to a central server. The central server receives the information and monitors operation and power consumption for a plurality of branches, do.

At this time, the controller at each point can access the central server and receive statistical information according to time or data type.

The central server provides the information about each branch according to time or according to the kind of data according to the schedule form. It verifies the granted authority according to the account of the connected branch, and transmits the data of the branch corresponding to the authority to the corresponding controller do.

At this time, if there is connection of the intermediate server, information about a predetermined point connected to the intermediate server can be provided.

In addition, when there is a connection between a portable terminal or an external terminal, not the controller or the connection of the intermediate server, after the authentication of the connected account is performed, the information of the specific point may be provided according to the authority corresponding to the account .

Referring to FIG. 6, when accessing to the central server 1 through a branch office controller or a branch office account (301), the central server 1 transmits data of the branch office To the controller.

The controller or terminal then displays information about the point along with the account ID (312).

Information about the capacity of the branch office, information about the currently installed facilities, energy management information, facility meter information, A / S management information, reports and settings.

In particular, the output screen displays detailed information on estimated monthly usage, accumulated monthly usage, and monthly target usage. In addition, the energy saving ratio against the monthly target can be confirmed by the image, and the information is displayed so that the consumption pattern of one month can be confirmed.

The user at each branch can confirm this and manage the energy consumption while changing or maintaining the operation setting for the facility equipment in the branch office. In addition, this information can be changed to check accumulated information in units of days, weeks, months, and years.

When accessing to the branch account, information about one branch is displayed. When logging into the account of the intermediate server or the central server administrator, information about a plurality of branches is displayed (311).

That is, when accessing with the intermediate server account, a list of identifiable points is displayed together with the ID of the connection account (311). In the displayed list, brief information about each point, for example, the branch name and the number of equipments, can be displayed.

At this time, when one of the points is selected, the information about the corresponding point is displayed on the screen, such as the point screen 312.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a plurality of points are connected to a network and managed by a central server, so that different information is provided differently according to an account to be connected, thereby making it possible for other users to unnecessarily know It is possible for the manager to confirm information on a plurality of points at once so that the convenience of the user can be improved while managing the information about the point.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, It should be understood that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

1: central server 10: intermediate server
20: Branch controller
110: central control unit 160:
161: Branch data 162: Authorization data
210: point control unit 260: illumination control unit
270: air conditioner control unit 280: refrigeration control unit

Claims (9)

A plurality of equipments including an air conditioner installed on a branch basis;
A plurality of point controllers connected to the plurality of equipments to control the plurality of equipments and connected to the plurality of equipments by a network; And
And a central server connected to the plurality of branch point controllers to monitor and control the plurality of the facility apparatuses according to each branch point and to set an account to which the branch point controller is given a control right,
The central server calculates and provides statistical information according to time or data type to the point controller corresponding to the control right granted to each account and the information about the plurality of facility equipments installed at the point,
A plurality of groups including at least one point are set, an account to which a controllable right is given in a group unit is set, and a plurality of points included in a group are set to a single set account, Wherein the control unit is configured to be able to control the point controllers and equipment equipments on a point-by-point basis. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a terminal connected to the network and controlling the plurality of equipments,
Wherein the central server is configured to display information on the facility equipment at the authorized point corresponding to the authority of the account input to the terminal, on the screen of the terminal. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the central server transmits information on equipment status, energy consumption, and AS status to the facility equipment corresponding to the authority of the account input to the terminal and outputs the information. Management system. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the central server increases or decreases the number of branch controllers and equipment that can be managed for the account input to the terminal, and sets the control authority. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising an intermediate server coupled between the central server and the branch point controller for collecting data for a plurality of branches from each branch point controller and transmitting the collected data to the central server,
Wherein the intermediate server is assigned an authorized account for the plurality of points to which the intermediate server is connected. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the central server sets a plurality of accounts having different privileges by classifying the individual control right, the group control right, and the master control right for the branch point controller and the equipments. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the central server provides all the information about the plurality of branch controllers and the plurality of equipments when the master server is connected to the network under the master control right account. The method according to claim 6,
When the central server is connected to the network as an account of the individual control authority, the central server provides information on the branch controller for any one point corresponding to the individual control authority and the equipment connected to the branch controller, A central management system including an air conditioner. The method according to claim 6,
When the central server is connected to the network as an account of the group control authority, information on at least one of the branch point controllers and the equipments included in the group is provided to any one group corresponding to the group control authority Wherein the central management system includes an air conditioner.

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