WO2023053314A1 - Air conditioner, operation device, and control method - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is an air conditioner comprising an operation device (4). The operation device (4) is provided with a near-field wireless communication unit (410, 411, 412). The air conditioner comprises a control unit (40) that determines whether the air conditioner is in a permission mode in which the use of the near-field wireless communication unit (410, 411, 412) is permitted or in a forbidden mode in which the use of the near-field wireless communication unit (410, 411, 412) is forbidden, and performs, in the permission mode, control for setting up the air conditioner or for providing information, on the basis of data communication with an external terminal device (7) through the near-field wireless communication unit (410, 411, 412).

Description

Air conditioner, operating device and control method

The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly to an air conditioner provided with an operation device, an operation device connected to the air conditioner, and a control method for the operation device.

Conventionally, there is known a technology that enables the transmission of initial settings performed during installation or maintenance to an air conditioning control terminal via short-range wireless communication. For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent No. 6299785) discloses that each remote control device performs near field wireless communication with a communication unit that communicates with a corresponding air conditioning indoor unit and a communication device having a near field wireless communication function. Disclosed is a configuration having a range wireless communication unit.

In addition, in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent No. 6743383), a determination unit determines whether or not to establish an administrator connection based on the propriety of administrator password information included in the request signal. Disclosed is a configuration for determining whether or not to establish a user connection based on the suitability of the user password information.

Japanese Patent No. 6299785 Japanese Patent No. 6743383

With the above conventional technology, the use of short-range wireless communication can improve serviceability and comfort during installation and maintenance. However, it was not sufficient in that no consideration was given to unauthorized access by an unauthorized third party.

The present disclosure has been made in order to solve the above problems, and the present disclosure is an air communication system that can reduce the possibility of unauthorized access by a third party in settings using short-range wireless communication. An object of the present invention is to provide a harmony machine, an operating device and a control method.

In order to solve the above problems, the present disclosure provides an air conditioner that includes an operation device and has the following characteristics. The air conditioner determines whether it is in a permission mode that permits use of the short-range wireless communication unit provided in the operating device, or in a prohibition mode that prohibits use of the short-range wireless communication unit. a control unit that determines whether the air conditioner is set or provides information based on data communication with an external terminal device via the short-range wireless communication unit when the permission mode is set. .

The present disclosure further provides an operating device connected to an air conditioner for controlling the air conditioner, the operating device having the following characteristics. This operating device determines whether it is in a permission mode that permits the use of the short-range wireless communication unit and the short-range wireless communication unit, or in a prohibition mode that prohibits the use of the short-range wireless communication unit. In some cases, a control unit is provided for controlling setting of the air conditioner or provision of information based on data communication with an external terminal device via the short-range wireless communication unit.

The present disclosure further provides a control method for an operation device connected to an air conditioner for controlling the air conditioner, the control method having the following characteristics. The present control method includes a step of determining whether the mode is a permission mode that permits use of a short-range wireless communication unit provided in the operating device or a prohibition mode that prohibits use of the short-range wireless communication unit; a step of setting the air conditioner or providing information based on data communication with an external terminal device via the short-range wireless communication unit when it is determined to be in the permission mode in the step. .

With the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the possibility of unauthorized access by a third party in settings using short-range wireless communication.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration example of an environment in which an air conditioner and a remote control device according to an embodiment of the present invention are arranged. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the remote control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of the remote control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the portable information terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing for setting or providing information via short-range wireless communication using a portable information terminal, which is executed by the air conditioner remote control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating data communication via short-range wireless communication executed by the air conditioner remote control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 illustrates an operation screen displayed on the display of the air conditioner remote control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 illustrates another operation screen displayed on the display of the air conditioner remote control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 illustrates still another operation screen displayed on the display of the air conditioner remote control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 illustrates an application screen displayed on the display unit of the portable information terminal that performs short-range wireless communication with the air conditioner remote control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 illustrates another application screen displayed on the display unit of the portable information terminal that performs short-range wireless communication with the air conditioner remote control device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Although the embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the illustrated specific embodiments described below. Hereinafter, as the operation device and the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention, the remote control device 4 and the air conditioner provided with the remote control device 4 (hereinafter, "air conditioner" may be abbreviated as "air conditioner") ) will be explained using a machine. In the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or corresponding parts.

An environment 1 in which a remote control device 4 and an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention are installed will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration example of an environment 1 in which air conditioners 2 and 6 and a remote controller 4 are installed.

The environment 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes multiple air conditioners 2 and 6 and one or more remote control devices 4 . In the environment 1, the plurality of air conditioners 2 and 6 are connected by, for example, non-polar 2-core transition wiring or the like, although not particularly limited, thereby forming an air conditioner network 3. . Here, the "air conditioner 2" is an indoor air conditioner, and the "air conditioner 6" is an outdoor air conditioner.

The remote control device 4 is generally referred to as a "remote controller" or "remote controller" for short, and includes a panel and buttons (switches) for setting air conditioning. The indoor air conditioners 2a to 2c and the remote controllers 4a to 4c are connected via connection lines 5a to 5c, respectively. In FIG. 1, the indoor air conditioner 2 and the remote control device 4 are depicted as being connected one-to-one via the connection line 5, but this is not a particular limitation. A plurality of indoor air conditioners 2 may be operated using one remote control device 4 by being connected via a crossover wire, or may be connected via the air conditioner network 3 without a crossover wire. good.

In the environment 1, the indoor air conditioner 2 (and the outdoor air conditioner 6 connected to it by refrigerant piping and involved in the refrigeration cycle control) can be operated from the remote control device 4 connected thereto.

In the environment 1, a portable information terminal 7 is further arranged in order to perform various settings for the above-described remote controller 4 (and thus the air conditioner 2 to be operated by the remote controller 4). The portable information terminal 7 is carried by a manager (for example, a worker who performs installation work, a serviceman who performs maintenance and inspection, a building manager, etc.) who performs initial setting and maintenance of the remote control device 4 and the air conditioners 2 and 6. It is an information terminal that As the portable information terminal 7, a general-purpose terminal device such as a smart phone or a tablet computer is used.

The initial setting described above is performed, for example, not only in the case of a complete initial introduction including installation of the indoor air conditioners 2a to 2c, the outdoor air conditioners 6a and 6b, and the remote control devices 4a to 4c, but also the indoor air conditioners 2a to 4c. 2c and some or all of the outdoor air conditioners 6a and 6b have already been introduced, and when one or more remote control devices 4 are newly installed to replace some or all of the old remote control devices. is also done.

The portable information terminal 7 is configured to perform short-range wireless communication 12 for initial setting or maintenance of the remote control device 4 (remote control device 4a in FIG. 1). In addition to setting the air conditioners 2 and 6 during initial setting and maintenance as described above, the portable information terminal 7 is also used when reading the current setting states and diagnosis results of the air conditioners 2 and 6. It is configured to perform short-range wireless communication 12 .

The wireless communication method of the short-range wireless communication 12 between the remote control device 4 and the portable information terminal 7 is preferably shorter than a wireless LAN (local area network) such as general Wifi (registered trademark). Specifically, NFC (Near-Field Communication) is preferable. From the viewpoint of making it easy for the administrator to physically recognize the remote control device 4 to be set (or the air conditioner 2 to which it is connected), the short-range wireless communication 12 is a near-field wireless communication such as NFC. Communication is preferred. The description will be continued below assuming that the short-range wireless communication 12 uses NFC.

In the above, one remote control device 4 is connected to the air conditioner in the embodiment of the present invention and constitutes a control device for controlling the air conditioner. A set of at least one remote control device 4, at least one indoor air conditioner 2 to be operated by the remote control device 4, and at least one outdoor air conditioner 6 involved in the refrigeration cycle control of the indoor air conditioner 2. constitutes the air conditioner provided with the operation device in the embodiment of the present invention.

First, a configuration example of each device will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. FIG.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the air conditioner 2 (and air conditioner 6) according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, the air conditioner 2 includes a main board 20, a load 22, and a power source 23 for operating the device. The main board 20 includes a power supply block 200 .

In the indoor air conditioner 2 (outdoor air conditioner 6), the loads 22 (62) include loads such as a compressor that condenses the refrigerant (in the case of the outdoor air conditioner 6) and an actuator such as a fan for blowing air. . When describing the outdoor air conditioner 6, the corresponding portion on the outdoor air conditioner 6 is referred to by replacing the upper 1 digit of the code in the indoor air conditioner 2 with "2" to "6".

The power supply block 200 includes a control section 201 , a first storage section 202 , a main storage section 203 , a second storage section 204 and an air conditioning control communication section 205 . The control unit 201 is, for example, a microcomputer, the main storage unit 203 is, for example, a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), the first storage unit 202 is, for example, a FLASH-ROM, and the second storage unit 204 is For example, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory). The air conditioning control communication unit 205 communicates with the outdoor air conditioner 6 connected via the air conditioner network 3 and the remote controller 4 connected via the connection line 5 . Note that the air conditioning control communication unit 205 corresponds to the connection form with the air conditioner 6 or the remote control device 4 to which it is connected. When power is supplied from the power supply 23 , the control unit 201 reads firmware from the first storage unit 202 and operates as an indoor air conditioner according to the firmware developed in the main storage unit 203 . In addition, in the outdoor air conditioner 6 , the firmware read from the first storage unit 602 and developed is for performing air conditioning control as the outdoor air conditioner 6 .

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the remote control device 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, the remote control device 4 includes a microcomputer 40 for overall control and various modules connected to the microcomputer 40 . The microcomputer 40 constitutes a control section in this embodiment.

More specifically, the remote control device 4 includes a buzzer 401, an indicator 402, an infrared receiver 403, a flash memory 404, a display module 405, a home bus system (HBS) transceiver 406, an EEPROM 407, and a thermistor. 408 , touch key sensor 409 , NFC tag interface 410 , NFC connector 411 , and NFC antenna 412 .

The buzzer 401 emits a buzzer sound such as notification. The indicator 402 is composed of an LED or the like and indicates the state. Infrared receiver 403 receives infrared signals. A display module 405 is a module including, for example, a liquid crystal panel, a backlight and a controller. The HBS transceiver 406 communicates with the indoor air conditioner 2 connected via the connection line 5 . Although the HBS transceiver 406 is used, it is provided according to the form of connection with the air conditioner 6 or the remote control device 4 to which it is connected. The thermistor 408 measures the ambient temperature of the remote controller 4 . The touch key sensor 409 implements various keys provided on the operation panel of the remote control device 4 . The NFC tag interface 410 provides an interface between the microcomputer 40 and NFC. The NFC connector 411 is a connector for connecting the NFC antenna 412 . The NFC antenna 412 is an antenna for NFC. The NFC tag interface 410, the NFC connector 411, and the NFC antenna 412 constitute a short-range wireless communication unit for performing short-range wireless communication 12 with an external device such as the portable information terminal 7 in this embodiment.

When power is supplied, the microcomputer 40 reads the firmware from the built-in ROM or the like into the built-in main storage unit, and operates as the remote control device 4 according to the firmware developed in the main storage unit. Flash memory 404 or EEPROM 407 appropriately stores information such as air conditioner settings and diagnostic results held by remote control device 4 .

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of the remote control device 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The remote control device 4 shown in FIG. 4 includes a housing 45, a display panel 451 such as a liquid crystal or OEL (Organic Electro-Luminescence) that constitutes the display module 405, and a housing. 45 and an operation panel 452 provided on the 45 . The display panel 451 displays various screens related to air conditioning operation and settings. The operation panel 452 receives input operations from administrators and users via various screens displayed on the display panel 451 .

More specifically, the operation panel 452 includes a run/stop button 4521 for switching between running and stopping the corresponding indoor air conditioner 2, and left/right/up/down keys 4522L, R, and 4522 for moving the cursor or selection on each screen. U, D, an OK button 4523 for determining the selected content on each screen, and a return button 4524 for discarding the retained content and returning to the previous screen on each screen.

In the embodiment to be described, in the remote control device 4 , the NFC antenna 412 that constitutes the short-range wireless communication unit described above is arranged on the back side of the display panel 451 at a substantially central location. As a result, by bringing the antenna part of the portable information terminal 7 near the center of the display panel 451 for the short-range wireless communication 12, the short-range wireless communication between the remote controller 4 and the portable information terminal 7 can be achieved. Communication is established.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the portable information terminal 7 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Portable information terminal 7 shown in FIG. For example, a program (including an operating system and an application for setting air conditioning) recorded in the first storage unit 73 such as FLASH-ROM is developed in the main storage unit 72 such as DRAM, and the control unit 71 such as a microcomputer , operates based on the expanded program. The wireless communication unit 76 is a wireless adapter that performs wireless communication such as WiFi (registered trademark).

The short-range wireless communication unit 75 performs short-range wireless communication 12 with an external device having a short-range wireless communication function such as the remote controller 4 . When NFC is used as the short-range wireless communication 12, the portable information terminal 7 has an NFC reader/writer function.

The portable information terminal 7 shown in FIG. 5 further includes an input unit 77 and a display unit 78. The input unit 77 includes input devices such as a touch panel sensor, buttons, keyboard, mouse, and microphone. The display unit 78 includes a display such as a liquid crystal panel or an OEL panel. The input unit 77 and the display unit 78 are used to implement functions for performing various settings for the air conditioner 2 .

An application is installed in the portable information terminal 7 to enable the setting of the air conditioner during installation and maintenance described above using short-range wireless communication. When power is supplied, the control unit 71 first reads an operating system program from the first storage unit 73, develops it in the main storage unit 72, and operates as a portable information terminal according to the developed program. conduct. Further, after the operating system is activated, in response to the call of the air conditioning setting application, the application program is read from the first storage unit 73, developed in the main storage unit 72, and according to the developed program, It operates as a terminal device for setting air conditioning. At that time, various application screens are displayed on the display unit 78, and various operations are executed based on inputs made in relation to the screens via the input unit 77. FIG. When the short-range wireless communication function is called, the short-range wireless communication unit 75 is operated to establish short-range wireless communication with the other party and perform data transmission/reception.

As described above, serviceability and comfort can be improved by using short-range wireless communication to set the remote control device 4 and the air conditioners 2 and 6 during installation and maintenance. However, since the remote control device 4 is generally used by users of the air conditioning equipment other than the administrator, it is placed in a location accessible by any person who can enter and exit the air-conditioned space (for example, the room). will be However, if it is installed in a place that can be accessed by any person, an unauthorized third party can access without permission the setting items that should be set by administrators such as service personnel and building managers. As a result, there is a possibility that the air conditioner settings will be changed without permission.

Therefore, the air conditioner and the remote control device 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention make it possible to reduce the possibility of unauthorized access by a third party in setting and providing information using the short-range wireless communication 12. Therefore, it has the following features. That is, in the air conditioners (2, 4, 6) and the remote control device 4, the short-range wireless communication unit, more specifically, the NFC tag interface 410, the NFC connector 411 and the NFC antenna 412 are connected to the remote control device 4. The control unit, more specifically, the microcomputer 40 of the remote control device 4 is in a permission mode that permits use of the short-range wireless communication unit, or in a prohibition mode that prohibits use of the short-range wireless communication unit. control to determine whether there is

Further, when the microcomputer 40 is in the permission mode, based on data communication with the external portable information terminal 7 via the short-range wireless communication unit, the setting or control the provision of information; Furthermore, in the prohibition mode, the microcomputer 40 performs control so that setting or provision of information based on data communication with the external portable information terminal 7 via the short-range wireless communication section is disabled. The microcomputer 40 also enables the short-range wireless communication unit in the permission mode and determines whether the data received via the short-range wireless communication unit includes predefined information related to service and maintenance. control to The microcomputer 40 controls to request a password when predefined information is included.

As described above, in the air conditioners (2, 4, 6) and the remote control device 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the function of setting and providing information via the short-range wireless communication 12 using the portable information terminal 7 We are working to ensure security in

6 to 12, settings are made and information is provided via the short-range wireless communication 12 using the portable information terminal 7 while ensuring security according to the embodiment of the present invention. Functions will be described in more detail.

FIG. 6 illustrates the processing for setting or providing information via short-range wireless communication using the portable information terminal 7, which is executed by the remote control device 4 that constitutes the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a flow chart to do. 8 to 10 illustrate various operation screens displayed on the display of the air conditioner remote control device 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention. 11 and 12 illustrate various screens of the air conditioning setting application displayed on the display unit 78 of the portable information terminal 7 that performs short-range wireless communication with the air conditioner remote control device 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention. do.

The control shown in FIG. 6 is started from step S100, for example, in response to the remote control device 4 being powered on.

In step S101, the microcomputer 40 is in a permission mode for permitting the use of the short-range wireless communication units (410, 411, 412) provided in the remote controller 4, or 412) is prohibited.

Here, it is assumed that the permission mode and the prohibition mode are set in advance by the administrator via the screen shown in FIG. 8(A). Alternatively, it is set as a default value as a factory shipment state.

FIG. 8(A) illustrates a short-range wireless communication setting screen 1000 displayed on the display panel 451 of the remote control device 4 for selecting the prohibited mode or the permitted mode. A short-range wireless communication setting screen 1000 shown in FIG. 8A includes text 1001 for explaining setting contents, and radio buttons 1002 and 1003 for selecting either the permitted mode or the prohibited mode. A desired mode is selected from among a plurality of modes indicated by radio buttons 1002 and 1003 using the up/down key buttons 4522U and 4522D of the operation panel 452 described above, and an OK button 4523 of the operation panel 452 is pressed. Either mode or permission mode is set in the remote control device 4 . In the control shown in FIG. 6, it is assumed that the administrator has previously selected a mode for the remote control device 4 using the short-range wireless communication setting screen 1000 shown in FIG. 8(A). .

In step S101, if it is determined that the permission mode is set (YES), the process proceeds to step S102, and thereafter, data communication with the external portable information terminal 7 via the short-range wireless communication unit is performed. Controls are made to set or provide information. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S101 that the mode is not the permission mode but the prohibition mode (NO), the process loops to step S101. Here, since it is not possible to proceed to step S102 and subsequent steps while in the prohibition mode, setting or information provision based on data communication with the external portable information terminal 7 via the short-range wireless communication section is disabled.

In step S102, the microcomputer 40 executes data reception processing via the short-range wireless communication unit. Regarding setting of the air conditioner or provision of information based on data communication with the external portable information terminal 7 via the short-range wireless communication unit, the following two methods are assumed.

In the first method, by performing a specific operation in a specific state, a dedicated screen (referred to as a short-range wireless communication guide screen) for accepting reading and writing of settings of the air conditioner via the short-range wireless communication 12 is displayed. , and in a state where the short-range wireless communication guide screen is displayed, reading and writing of settings via the short-range wireless communication 12 are accepted. For example, while the home screen 1020 shown in FIG. 8C is being displayed, pressing a specific hidden switch (for example, simultaneously pressing and holding the left key 4522L and the right key 4522R for a predetermined period of time). , the screen changes to a short-range wireless communication guide screen 1030 as shown in FIG. 8(D). The short-range wireless communication guide screen 1030 shown in FIG. 8(D) has an antenna portion of the short-range wireless communication unit 75 of the portable information terminal 7 attached to the antenna portion in the center of the display panel 451 of the remote control device (remote controller) 4 . and an icon display 1032 roughly pointing to the location of the antenna site.

If it is determined in step S101 that the permission mode is set (YES), in step S102, a short-range wireless communication guide screen 1030 for setting using the short-range wireless communication unit is displayed in response to a specific operation. , and the short-range wireless communication unit is enabled, so short-range wireless communication 12 with the portable information terminal 7 becomes possible. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S101 that the mode is prohibited (NO), the transition itself to the short-range wireless communication guide screen 1030 is suppressed regardless of whether a specific operation such as pressing the hidden switch is performed. be. In this case, since the short-range wireless communication unit is not activated, even if the antenna portion of the portable information terminal 7 is brought close to the approximate center of the display panel 451, the short-range wireless communication 12 cannot be performed.

The second method is to accept reading of air conditioner information via short-range wireless communication 12 on a specific screen (referred to as a specific screen) displayed by following the hierarchical structure of the menu. . For example, an inspection screen 1040 as shown in FIG. 9A is not a dedicated screen for guiding the short-range wireless communication 12, but a screen that displays the status 1041 of a predetermined inspection item regardless of the short-range wireless communication 12. is. Inspection screen 1040 shown in FIG. 9A further includes icon display 1042 indicating that information can be provided via short-range wireless communication 12 . As shown in FIG. 9A, when the inspection screen 1040 includes an icon display 1042, the short-range wireless communication unit 75 of the portable information terminal 7 is attached to the antenna portion in the center of the display panel 451 of the remote controller 4. By bringing the antenna part of , the portable information terminal 7 can read the information on the state of the predetermined inspection item including the information being displayed via the short-range wireless communication 12 .

Although the inspection screen 1040 has been described as an example of the specific screen, the specific screen is not limited, and other screens such as the indoor/outdoor board diagnosis screen may be used as the specific screen.

In step S101, if it is determined that the permission mode is enabled (YES), in step S102, when the specific screen, for example, the inspection screen 1040 is displayed, the microcomputer 40 performs short-range wireless communication. By activating the unit, short-range wireless communication 12 with the portable information terminal 7 becomes possible. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S101 that the mode is prohibited (NO), the inspection screen 1040 itself is displayed, but the icon display 1042 is not displayed. In this case, since the microcomputer 40 of the remote control device 4 does not activate the short-range wireless communication unit, even if the antenna portion of the portable information terminal 7 is brought close to the approximate center of the display panel 451, the short-range wireless communication 12 is not performed. is not allowed.

In this way, in the permission mode, the screen for providing information displays that the provision of information using the short-range wireless communication unit is effective, and in the prohibition mode, displays that it is effective. is not performed. In the embodiment to be described, it is assumed that the icon display 1042 indicating that the short-range wireless communication unit is enabled is not performed in the prohibition mode, but the icon display indicating that the short-range wireless communication unit is enabled is not limited to this. Instead of 1042, an explicit indication (for example, a grayed-out icon) that the provision of information using the short-range wireless communication unit is invalid may be provided.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart explaining the data reception process in step S102 shown in FIG. 6, which is executed by the air conditioner remote control device 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The flow chart shown in FIG. 7 summarizes the two approaches described above. As described above, in step S102, data reception processing for setting the air conditioner or providing information is performed based on data communication with the external portable information terminal 7 via the short-range wireless communication unit. conduct.

The process shown in FIG. 7 starts from step S200, and in step S201, the microcomputer 40 determines whether or not a specific key operation has been performed while the home screen 1020 shown in FIG. 8C is displayed. . If it is determined in step S201 that a specific key operation has been performed on the home screen (YES), the process branches to step S204. In step S204, the microcomputer 40 displays a short-range wireless communication guidance screen 1030 as shown in FIG. 8D, and enables the short-range wireless communication 12 in step S205.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S201 that the specific key operation has not been performed on the home screen (NO), the process branches to step S202. In step S202, the microcomputer 40 further determines whether or not a specific screen such as the inspection screen 1040 shown in FIG. 9A is displayed. If it is determined in step S202 that the specific screen is displayed (YES), the process branches to step S203. In step S203, the microcomputer 40 displays an icon display 1042 indicating that short-range wireless communication is possible on the inspection screen 1040, for example, as shown in FIG. 9A, and enables the short-range wireless communication 12 in step S205. become

In step S206, the microcomputer 40 waits for the establishment of the short-range wireless communication 12, and if not established (NO), loops step S206 via step S207. In step S207, the microcomputer 40 determines whether or not there has been a screen transition such as by pressing the return button 4524 or the like. If it is determined in step S207 that the short-range wireless communication guide screen 1030 or the specific screen remains displayed and there is no screen transition (NO), the process returns to step S206.

If it is determined in step S206 that the short-range wireless communication 12 has been established (YES), the process proceeds to step S208. In step S<b>208 , the microcomputer 40 receives data via the near field communication 12 .

Here, the operation on the application side of the portable information terminal 7 will be supplemented with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. FIG. 11A shows a local setting screen 1200 for performing "local setting". A local setting screen 1200 shown in FIG. 11A is a screen displaying a list of setting items for local settings, which is transitioned and displayed when the user taps "local setting" on the home screen of the application. A local setting screen 1200 shown in FIG. 11A includes a heading 1201, a display 1202 of the current setting value of each item, and a setting editing screen 1202 for each of one or more items subordinate to the local setting, which is a major item. It includes an edit screen and a launch button 1203 for calling the screen, and an icon display 1204 indicating that short-range wireless communication is possible. It should be noted that only the setting item of the first "indoor fan double speed" is numbered here, and the other items are omitted.

Here, the current setting value display 1202 of the item is blank in the initial state, but the current setting value is reflected in the display 1202 by performing the reading operation once using the short-range wireless communication 12. be. If reading has already been performed once, the current setting values are reflected from the beginning.

When the user taps an item (or its edit screen and exit button 1203) on the local setting screen 1200 shown in FIG. 11(A), a setting edit screen 1210 shown in FIG. 11(B) is displayed. be done. The setting edit screen 1210 shown in FIG. 11B relates to the setting item "fan deceleration when heating thermostat is off", presents a plurality of options for the setting item, and allows selection from among the presented options. It includes radio buttons 1211 to 1213 to accept and a save button 1214 . When one option is selected using the radio buttons 1211 to 1213 and the save button 1214 is tapped, the selected state is retained in the application.

On the local setting screen 1200 shown in FIG. 11A, when the user finishes editing all the items to be changed and taps the icon display 1204, a menu for selecting and instructing reading or writing pops up. When writing is selected in the menu, the writing screen 1220 as shown in FIG. 12(A) is displayed. The writing screen 1220 includes a message 1221 for guiding the antenna part of the short-range wireless communication unit 75 of the portable information terminal 7 to the antenna part in the center of the display panel 451 of the remote controller 4, and a return button 1222. It consists of

While the writing screen 1220 is being displayed on the display unit 78 of the portable information terminal 7 , the user can perform a specific operation on the home screen of the remote control device 4 as well, for example, so that the display panel 451 of the remote control device 4 A short-range wireless communication guide screen 1030 is displayed. In this state, when the user brings the display of the antenna portion of the portable information terminal 7 closer to the central portion of the display panel 451 of the remote control device 4, the short-range wireless communication 12 is established and the application is held. An attempt is made to transmit the data including the set value to be set, and when the transmission is successfully completed, a write completion screen 1230 for notifying the completion of writing is displayed as shown in FIG. 12(B). The write completion screen 1230 includes a message 1231 notifying successful completion of writing and a close button 1232 . When the close button 1232 is tapped, the application is returned to the home screen or the like.

In the above description, the write operation using the short-range wireless communication 12 has been described, but the read operation using the short-range wireless communication 12 is the same. Further, in the above description, the local setting and the setting editing screen 1210 for "fan deceleration when heating thermostat is off" have been described as a representative, but the same applies to other setting items. Also, in the above description, writing of settings using the short-range wireless communication guide screen 1030 has been described, but the reading operation on a specific screen such as the inspection screen 1040 can also be performed with the same configuration.

Returning to FIG. 7 again, when data is received in step S208, the process proceeds to step S209. In step S209, the microcomputer 40 disables the short-range wireless communication unit, terminates the process in step S210, and returns control to the flow shown in FIG. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S207 that the back button 4524 has been pressed and the screen has changed (YES), the process branches directly to step S209, and the short-range wireless communication 12 is disabled. control is returned to the flow shown in .

Refer to Figure 6 again. In step S103, the microcomputer 40 determines whether data has been received. For example, when a specific key operation is not performed in a specific state and a specific screen is not displayed, data reception is not performed. If it is determined in step S103 that no data has been received (NO), the process returns to step S101 to wait for a specific key operation or display of a specific screen in the case of mode determination and permission mode. On the other hand, when the short-range wireless communication 12 is established on the short-range wireless communication guidance screen 1030 displayed by operating the specific key or on the specific screen, data reception is received from the portable information terminal 7 . If it is determined in step S103 that data has been received (YES), the process proceeds to step S104.

In step S104, the microcomputer 40 determines whether or not the data received via the short-range wireless communication unit includes predefined service/maintenance information. If it is determined in step S104 that the service/maintenance information is not included (NO), the process branches directly to step S110 without requesting password input. Display the received information on the display panel 451 .

Here, service/maintenance includes settings at the time of installation of the air conditioner and maintenance settings. Service/maintenance information refers to items such as function selection and contact registration, which are set during installation and maintenance. This information is information that requires the input of the administrator password not only when writing using the short-range wireless communication 12 but also when manually changing the settings with the remote control device 4 . Items operated by the end user (functions described in the instruction manual distributed for the end user) such as language setting, time setting, and driving schedule, for example, do not correspond to this service/maintenance information.

Specifically, the information on service and maintenance can include the items listed in Table 1 below. These pieces of information shall be defined in advance.

In the above, "hotel mode" is a setting for switching the mode of the remote control device 4 to hotel mode. By setting it to hotel mode, you can set the "language" and "off timer" that are often used in hotels and other accommodation facilities from the home screen. "Cooling/heating automatic dual temperature setting" is a function that allows you to set the set temperatures for cooling and heating individually in the automatic cooling/heating mode. The "remote control thermometer correction value" is a function for correcting when the remote control thermometer is detected to be high or low in the user's use environment. By setting this function, the unit is operated/stopped by turning the power on/off. By setting this function, "power supply start/stop 2" will automatically restart the unit when a power failure for more than 2 seconds occurs during operation. "Cool Thermo Off Fan Deceleration" slows down the fan when Cool Thermo is off, if enabled. Heat Thermo Off Fan Deceleration, if enabled, slows down the fan when heat thermo is off. "Compressor preheating control release" is a setting for releasing preheating control of the compressor. The power up setting sets the capacity up of the outdoor unit.

If it is determined in step 104 that the received data contains predefined service/maintenance information (YES), the process branches to step S105. If it is determined that this predefined information is included, then, in principle, you will be prompted to enter your password.

At step 105, the microcomputer 40 determines whether or not the administrator password of the remote controller 4 remains the initial value. An initial value of the administrator password is set in the remote control device 4 in the factory shipment state, and it is expected that the administrator password will be changed to an appropriate value different from the initial value after the installation work is performed. be done. The determination of whether or not the administrator password is the initial value here is made to determine whether it is in the factory shipment state (unset state), and the determination method is particularly limited. not a thing For example, in another embodiment, after the initialization is completed, a flag holding a "true" value may be provided in a non-volatile storage area and this value may be referred to. Also, when the initial settings are completed, it can be expected that the time setting will be completed. It may be determined whether the product is in the shipping state.

If it is determined in step 105 that the administrator password of the remote control device 4 is still the initial value (YES), it can be determined that the installation work has not been completed yet, so password input is exceptionally not requested. Directly branched to step S110, the microcomputer 40 displays the received information on the display panel 451 of the remote controller 4. FIG. If it is determined in step 105 that the administrator password of the remote controller 4 is not the initial value (NO), the process branches to step S106.

In step 106, the microcomputer 40 checks whether the password is included in the data received from the portable information terminal 7, and whether the password information included in the received data matches the password information held by the microcomputer 40. That is, it determines whether the password is correct.

Here, the remote control device 4 is configured to require password entry when transitioning to a specific screen (items related to service/maintenance) when controlling the indoor air conditioner 2 . FIG. 9B shows an operation menu screen 1050 displaying a list of items of various operation menus. For example, on the operation menu screen 1050, when the service/maintenance menu 1053 requiring a password is selected from among the plurality of menus 1052 to 1054 and the OK button 4523 is pressed, the password as shown in FIG. An input dialog box 1060 is displayed. A dialog box 1060 allows the administrator password to be entered using a plurality of spinners 1061 . When the administrator password is entered and the OK button 4523 of the operation panel 452 is pressed with the OK button 1062 selected, if the password is correct, the service/maintenance operation as shown in FIG. - A menu screen 1070 is displayed. The service/maintenance menu screen 1070 is a screen leading to setting items requiring a password, and further includes a plurality of menu items 1071-1073.

Note that the application of the portable information terminal 7 has a function of setting and holding the administrator password of the target remote control device 4 in advance, and the administrator password of the target remote control device 4 is held in advance. If so, the password is included in the data transmission via the short-range wireless communication 12 during the write operation. It is also assumed that an appropriate administrator password is set at the time of initial setting. It is also permissible to request password input on the remote control device 4 side each time without holding the administrator password on the application side. By transmitting the password each time, the administrator can save the trouble of operating the remote control device 4 and inputting the password each time.

If it is determined in step 106 that the data received from the portable information terminal 7 contains an appropriate password (YES), no password input is requested, and in step S110 the microcomputer 40 controls the remote operation device 4 display the received information on the display panel 451 of the . On the other hand, if it is determined in step S106 that the data received from the portable information terminal 7 does not contain an appropriate password (NO), the process branches to step S107.

At step 107, the microcomputer 40 determines whether or not the administrator password re-request period has passed. Here, in the remote control device 4, in advance, via the password cancellation validity period setting screen 1010 as shown in FIG. A period for re-requesting (administrator password re-request period) shall be defined. This is provided from the standpoint of convenience for workers and administrators during installation, and usually the initial settings are performed by workers and administrators in front of the remote control device 4, taking a certain amount of time. , and is provided because the same operator or administrator occupies the remote control device 4 for a certain period of time, and it can be expected that safety can be ensured without requiring password input each time. .

The password cancellation validity period setting screen 1010 shown in FIG. 8B has a setting item display 1011 and radio buttons 1012 to 1015 for displaying a plurality of options regarding the administrator password re-request period. When a desired value is selected from a plurality of options indicated by radio buttons 1012 to 1015 using the up/down key buttons 4522U and 4522D of the operation panel 452 and the OK button 4523 of the operation panel 452 is pressed, the administrator A password re-request period is set. When the re-request period is set, in both cases of password input on the remote control device 4 and password transmission on the portable information terminal 7, once authentication with the administrator password is passed, the selected option is displayed. Until the time elapses, the request for the password again is omitted. For example, if 10 minutes is selected, password entry is not requested for 10 minutes after password entry is canceled.

If it is determined in step S107 that the password re-request period has not elapsed (NO), it can be said that security is ensured, so password input is not exceptionally requested. The received information is displayed on the display panel 451 of the remote control device 4 . On the other hand, if it is determined in step S107 that the password re-request period has passed (YES), the process branches to step S108.

In step S108, the microcomputer 40 displays, for example, a screen similar to the password input dialog box 1060 shown in FIG. 9(C) on the display panel 451 of the remote control device 4 to request input of a password. In step S109, the microcomputer 40 determines whether the entered password is correct. In step S109, if the entered password is not correct (NO), control is returned to step S108 to request the password to be entered again. If it is confirmed in step S109 that the entered password is correct (YES), the process proceeds to step S110. display.

In the above-described embodiment, the remote control device 4 is set with an administrator password that is required when changing predefined setting items related to service/maintenance on the remote control device 4. , the administrator password set using the remote control device 4 and the password set using the portable information terminal 7 are the same. This is preferable from the point of view of having the same level of protection on both routes. The same applies to the password cancellation validity period. However, different passwords may be used for the case of using the portable information terminal 7 and the case of using the remote control device 4, and a difference may be provided in the effective period for canceling the password.

FIG. 10A shows a write setting confirmation screen 1080 displaying information received via the short-range wireless communication 12, displayed on the display panel 451 of the remote controller 4 in step S110. The writing setting confirmation screen 1080 shows a list of setting items 1081 for confirming writing and a corresponding status display 1082 . The write setting confirmation screen 1080 shown in FIG. 10A includes data received from the portable information terminal 7 that cannot be set due to the system of the air conditioner or data that can only be partially set. For example, when replacing the remote control device 4 in an existing facility, when connecting to an old indoor unit 2, there is a possibility that setting data not supported by the old indoor unit may be received from the portable information terminal 7. At this time, in a specific embodiment, as the status display 1082, marks corresponding to the following (1) to (3) are displayed.
(1) Data that cannot be systematically reflected The exclamation mark “!”
(2) Data not received from portable information terminal 7 Hyphen symbol "-"
(3) Data that can be reflected Check symbol

With the above-described status display 1082, it is possible to check the written data list from the portable information terminal 7. Although the exclamation mark, the hyphen mark, and the check mark are specifically exemplified in the described embodiment, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the specific marks exemplified here. For example, other marks such as O and X may be used.

Referring to FIG. 6 again, in step S111, the microcomputer 40 determines whether writing is necessary through user interaction. For example, when the user presses the OK button 4523 after completing confirmation on the write setting confirmation screen 1080 in FIG. 10A, a write confirmation dialog box 1090 as shown in FIG. 10B is displayed. The writing confirmation dialog box 1090 includes a writing confirmation message 1091 , a “Yes” button 1092 and a “No” button 1093 . When the OK button 4523 is pressed with the "Yes" button 1092 selected, it is determined in step S111 that writing is required. When the OK button 4523 is pressed with the "No" button 1093 selected, it is determined in step S111 that writing is unnecessary.

If it is determined in step S111 that writing is necessary (YES), in step S112 the microcomputer 40 writes the information into the remote controller 4 itself or transmits the information to the other air conditioners 2 and 6. Then, in step S113, this processing is terminated. When the information is written to the remote control device 4 itself, such as remote controller display settings, the information is written to the remote control device 4 itself. On the other hand, in the case of setting items on the side of the air conditioners 2 and 6, such as the above-mentioned "local setting" "fan deceleration when heating thermostat is off", the indoor air conditioner 2 or the indoor air conditioner 2 , is further transmitted to the outdoor air conditioner 6 via the air conditioner network 3 and written to the indoor air conditioner 2 or the outdoor air conditioner 6 .

During the writing process of the settings, a writing-in-progress display screen 1110 as shown in FIG. 10(C) is displayed. At this time, among the data set from the portable information terminal 7, data that cannot be set on the system is discarded, and if only part of the data can be reflected, only that data is reflected. If writing is unnecessary (NO), the data received by the short-range wireless communication 12 is discarded. As a result, even if there is an unintended setting, it is possible to discard the data without manually changing it on the remote control device 4 . In that case, writing may be performed again via short-range wireless communication.

If it is determined in step S111 that writing is not necessary (NO), the process proceeds directly to step S113 to terminate this process. Once this process ends, it can be started again from step S100. In the described embodiment, the description is made assuming that writing is completed and then terminated. However, it is also possible to display the work continuation confirmation screen 1120 shown in FIG. It is possible.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiments, an air conditioner, an operation device, and an operation device that can reduce the possibility of unauthorized access by a third party in settings using the short-range wireless communication unit, and the like. A control method is provided.

Since the remote control device 4 can be placed in an installation location that can be accessed without permission by a third party, unauthorized access can be prevented by setting a prohibition mode that prohibits the use of the short-range wireless communication units (410, 411, 412). It can be prevented in advance. Also, in writing settings using the short-range wireless communication units (410, 411, 412), it is determined whether or not the administrator of the remote control device 4 is an administrator, and whether or not to write information to ensure security. Since the password input request can be omitted as necessary, it is possible to shorten the work time while ensuring security. Furthermore, setting data received via short-range wireless communication (410, 411, 412) may include items that cannot be set by the system of the air conditioner. The user can grasp which item is set on the write setting confirmation screen 1080 .

It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may include various modifications. For example, the above embodiments have been described in detail for easy understanding, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the described configurations. Also, part of the configuration of one embodiment can be replaced with the configuration of another embodiment, and the configuration of another embodiment can be added to the configuration of one embodiment. Moreover, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration.

Also, part or all of the above configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be realized by hardware, for example, by designing with integrated circuits. Furthermore, some or all of the above configurations, functions, etc. are written in legacy programming languages such as assembler, C, C++, C#, Java (registered trademark), object-oriented programming languages, etc. Functions can be realized by computer-executable programs, and information such as programs, tables, and files that realize each function can be stored in HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive) ROM, EEPROM, EPROM, flash memory, etc. storage device, flexible disk, CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, Blu-ray disc, SD (registered trademark) card, stored in a device-readable recording medium such as MO, or It can be distributed through telecommunication lines.

Furthermore, part or all of the above configurations, functions, etc. can be implemented on a programmable device (PD) such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and the functional units can be implemented on the PD. circuit configuration data (bitstream data) to be downloaded to the PD, HDL (Hardware Description Language) for generating circuit configuration data, VHDL (Very High Speed Integrated Circuits Hardware Description Language), Verilog-HDL, etc. can be distributed on a recording medium as data described by Further, the control lines and information lines indicate those considered to be necessary for explanation, and not necessarily all the control lines and information lines are indicated on the product. In practice, it may be considered that almost all configurations are interconnected. In addition, the various data formats exemplified in the above description can be configured by, for example, CSV (Comma-Separated Values), XML (eXtensible Markup Language), binary, etc., but are not necessarily limited to these. not a thing

2: Air conditioner (indoor unit)
3: Air conditioner network 4: Remote control device 5: Connection line 6: Air conditioner (outdoor unit)
7: Portable information terminal 12: Near-field wireless communication 22, 62: Load 20: Main board 22: Load 23: Power supply 25: Housing 200: Power supply block 201: Control unit 202: First storage unit 203: Main storage unit 204: Second storage unit 205: Air conditioning control communication unit 40: Microcomputer 401: Buzzer 402: Indicator 403: Infrared receiver 404: Flash memory 405: Display module 406: HBS receiver 407: EEPROM
408: Thermistor 409: Touch key sensor 410: NFC tag interface module 411: NFC connector 412: NFC antenna 451: Display panel 452: Operation panel 71: Control unit 72: Main storage unit 73: First storage unit 74: Second Storage unit 75: Near-field wireless communication unit 76: Wireless communication unit 77: Input unit 78: Display unit 1000: Near-field wireless communication setting screen 1010: Password cancellation effective period setting screen 1020: Home screen 1030: Near-field wireless communication guide screen 1040: Inspection screen 1050: Operation menu screen 1060: Password input dialog box 1070: Service/maintenance menu screen 1080: Write setting confirmation screen 1090: Write confirmation dialog box 1110: Writing display screen 1120: Work continuation confirmation screen 1200: Site Setting screen 1210: Setting editing screen 1220: Writing screen 1230: Writing completion screen

Claims (12)

1. An air conditioner comprising an operation device,
   a short-range wireless communication unit provided in the operating device;
   determining whether the mode is a permission mode that permits use of the short-range wireless communication unit or a prohibition mode that prohibits use of the short-range wireless communication unit; an air conditioner, comprising: a control unit configured to perform setting of the air conditioner or provision of information based on data communication with an external terminal device via the unit.
2. The control unit enables the short-range wireless communication unit in the permission mode, and determines whether the data received via the short-range wireless communication unit includes predefined information related to service and maintenance. 2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein control is performed to request a password if the predefined information is included.
3. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the control unit determines whether the password information from the external terminal device included in the received data matches the password information held by itself.
4. 4. The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein said control unit controls said operation device to request a password input when said password information does not match in said determination.
5. The control unit has a plurality of options regarding the time from when the password is once confirmed to be correct to when the password is requested again, and the time selected from the plurality of options is selected. 5. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the request for the password is omitted until the time elapses.
6. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the control unit determines whether the operating device is in an unset state, and omits the request for the password if the operation device is in the unset state. harmony machine.
7. The operation device is set with an administrator password that is required when changing predefined setting items related to the service/maintenance on the operation device, and the password is the same as the administrator password. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 2 to 6, which are identical.
8. 2. The control unit determines whether information included in the data received via the short-range wireless communication unit is to be written by the operation device or transmitted to the air conditioner for writing. 8. The air conditioner according to any one of 1 to 7.
9. In the permission mode, a transition to a screen for performing settings using the short-range wireless communication unit is performed in response to a specific operation, and in the prohibition mode, the short-range wireless communication unit regardless of the specific operation. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein transition to the screen for performing settings using is suppressed.
10. In the permission mode, the screen for providing information displays that the provision of information using the short-range wireless communication unit is effective, and in the prohibition mode, displays that the information is effective. 10. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a display indicating that the provision of information using said short-range wireless communication unit is invalid is displayed.
11. An operation device connected to an air conditioner for controlling the air conditioner,
    a short-range wireless communication unit;
    determining whether the mode is a permission mode that permits use of the short-range wireless communication unit or a prohibition mode that prohibits use of the short-range wireless communication unit; a control unit configured to control settings of the air conditioner or provision of information based on data communication with an external terminal device via the unit.
12. A control method for an operation device connected to an air conditioner for controlling the air conditioner,
    determining whether it is a permission mode for permitting use of a short-range wireless communication unit provided in the operating device or a prohibition mode for prohibiting use of the short-range wireless communication unit;
    In the determining step, when it is determined that the permission mode is set, based on data communication with an external terminal device via the short-range wireless communication unit, provide settings or information for the air conditioner. A control method, comprising the steps of:

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