JP2002147826A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To transmit emergency data to an air conditioner, when emergency data requiring urgent attention are transmitted to a plurality of air conditioners connected to a centralized control apparatus. SOLUTION: A plurality of air conditioners are provided, which are connected with a centralized control apparatus 4 via a local area network to deliver data between it and the centralized control apparatus 4. In the one among those apparatuses, when emergency data are transmitted to all the air conditioners 1 from the centralized control apparatus 4, there is set an emergency ID number common to the respective air conditioners and applied to the emergency data. Further, when the emergency data is transmitted top the plurality of the air conditioners 1 connected to the centralized control apparatus 4, the emergency ID commonly set in the air conditioners 1 is added to the emergency data, whereby the emergency data are transmitted to all the air conditioners 1 in lump, so that the transmission of the emergency data to the all air conditioners 1 in emergency are achieved rapidly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an air conditioner constituting a part of an air conditioning management system in which a plurality of air conditioners are connected to a central control device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various air conditioning management systems have been proposed in which a plurality of air conditioners are installed in one room and the air conditioners are connected to one centralized management device via a local area network.

In such an air conditioning management system, a unique ID number for identifying each air conditioner is set,
The data transmitted from the centralized management device is added with the unique ID number of the air conditioner to which the data is to be transmitted, and the data transmitted to the air conditioner with the unique ID number matching the unique ID number added to the data is set. In many cases, data is transmitted and received between polling / selecting systems.

In general, the setting of a unique ID number in each air conditioner is performed by switching an external switch or the like provided in each air conditioner at the stage of manufacturing or shipping the air conditioner.

[0005]

In the case where all the air conditioners are urgently stopped when a trouble occurs in the air conditioners or the like, the unique ID numbers are assigned to the air conditioners for which the unique ID numbers are set as in the prior art. When the added operation stop data (emergency data) is transmitted, the operation stop data in which the unique ID number of the air conditioner is added to a certain air conditioner is transmitted to operate the air conditioner. After the operation of the air conditioner is stopped, the operation of stopping the operation of the air conditioner is repeated by transmitting operation stop data in which the unique ID number added after the operation of the air conditioner is changed to the next air conditioner. For this reason, there is a problem that it takes time until all the air conditioners are stopped, and the response in an emergency is delayed.

In the case where the setting of a unique ID number for each air conditioner is performed at the stage of manufacturing or shipping each air conditioner,
The communication between the air conditioner and the side where the air conditioners are installed must be closely communicated as to what number of the air conditioners to which the unique ID numbers should be shipped.

An object of the present invention is to transmit urgent emergency data to a plurality of air conditioners connected to a centralized control device, and transmit the emergency data to the air conditioners simultaneously. It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioner that can perform an emergency response promptly.

Another object of the present invention is to, when each of the air conditioners is individually connected to the central control device, transmit the maintenance data to the individual air conditioners by using the unique ID number of each air conditioner. It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioner that can transmit without relying on the air conditioner.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner for each air conditioner.
The purpose is to simplify the structure for setting the D number.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
One of a plurality of air conditioners connected to the central control device via a local area network and transmitting and receiving data to and from the central control device, wherein the central control device individually controls each air conditioner; When the unique data is transmitted, a unique ID number, which is an ID number unique to each air conditioner added to the unique data, and emergency data are simultaneously transmitted from the central control device to all the air conditioners. The emergency ID number which is a common ID number for each air conditioner added to the emergency data when the emergency data is added.

Therefore, when the unique data is transmitted to each air conditioner connected to the central control device, the unique ID number of the air conditioner to which the air conditioner is transmitted is added to the unique data so that each air conditioner is transmitted. Required data can be transmitted to When transmitting emergency data requiring emergency to all the air conditioners connected to the central control device, the emergency data is added to the emergency data so that all the emergency data can be transmitted. Are transmitted simultaneously to all the air conditioners, so that emergency data can be quickly transmitted to all the air conditioners in an emergency.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided one of a plurality of air conditioners connected to a centralized management device via a local area network to transmit and receive data to and from the centralized management device. When the unique data is individually transmitted from the management device to each air conditioner, a unique ID number, which is an ID number unique to each air conditioner, is added to the unique data, and is individually connected to the centralized management device. A maintenance ID number, which is a common ID number for each air conditioner, is added to the maintenance data transmitted at the time of maintenance for the air conditioner.

Therefore, when the unique data is transmitted to each air conditioner connected to the centralized control device, the unique ID number of the destination air conditioner is added to the unique data so that each air conditioner is transmitted. Required data can be transmitted to When each air conditioner is individually connected to the central control device and maintenance data is transmitted for each air conditioner, a maintenance ID number is added to the maintenance data so that each air conditioner is added. , The maintenance data can be transmitted. When transmitting the maintenance data, the unique I / O
Even if you do not know the D number, transmission is possible,
The maintenance data can be smoothly transmitted to each air conditioner.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided one of a plurality of air conditioners connected to a centralized management device via a local area network to exchange data with the centralized management device. When the unique data is individually transmitted from the management device to each air conditioner, a unique ID number, which is an ID number unique to each air conditioner, is added to the unique data. The emergency ID, which is a common ID number for each air conditioner, added to the emergency data when the emergency data is transmitted all at once
A number and a maintenance ID number, which is a common ID number for each air conditioner, which is added to maintenance data transmitted at the time of maintenance for air conditioners individually connected to the central management device, are set.

Therefore, when the unique data is transmitted to each air conditioner connected to the central control device, the unique ID number of the destination air conditioner is added to the unique data so that each air conditioner is transmitted. Required data can be transmitted to When transmitting emergency data requiring emergency to all the air conditioners connected to the central control device, the emergency data is added to the emergency data so that all the emergency data can be transmitted. Are transmitted simultaneously to all the air conditioners, so that emergency data can be quickly transmitted to all the air conditioners in an emergency. When each air conditioner is individually connected to the central control device and maintenance data is transmitted for each air conditioner, a maintenance ID number is added to the maintenance data so that each air conditioner is added. , The maintenance data can be transmitted. When transmitting the maintenance data, the data can be transmitted even if the unique ID number of each air conditioner is unknown, so that the maintenance data can be smoothly transmitted to each air conditioner.

The invention described in claim 4 is the first to third aspects of the present invention.
In the air conditioner according to any one of the above,
As means for storing the D number, a rewritable nonvolatile memory is provided.

Therefore, there is no need to provide an external switch for setting the ID number for each air conditioner, and the structure of each air conditioner is simplified. In particular, when two or more ID numbers are set for each air conditioner, the effect of simplifying the structure of each air conditioner is enhanced.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an air conditioner central management system. In a factory, which is a room to which the centralized air conditioner management system is applied, a plurality (for example, 15
) Air conditioners 1 are installed. Each air conditioner 1 has an air conditioner body 2 from which hot air or cold air is blown out.
And an air conditioner control unit 3 that transmits and receives data by a polling / selecting method to and from the on / off temperature setting of each air conditioner 1 and a central management device described later. It is connected to a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated to PC) 4 as a centralized management device via a local area network. The PC 4 is installed at a certain location in the factory.

In a factory, a plurality (for example, three)
Temperature sensor 5 is installed. Each temperature sensor 5
A temperature sensor main body 6 for measuring temperature and a temperature monitoring controller 7 for A / D conversion of the measured temperature value are provided. Each of the temperature sensors 5 stores the A / D converted temperature data in a centralized management device. 4 is connected to a wireless device 8 for transmission.
A wireless device 9 for receiving the temperature data transmitted from the wireless device 8 is connected to the central management device 4.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the PC 4. The PC 4 has a CPU 10 that performs various controls in accordance with a control program, and a ROM 11 in which fixed data such as a control program is stored.
The RAM 12 stores variable data such as the temperature data transmitted from the temperature sensor 5 and the operating state data of each air conditioner 1 transmitted from the air conditioner 1, and it is necessary to continuously store the variable data. An EE that stores various data, ID numbers (unique ID numbers, emergency ID numbers, maintenance ID numbers, which will be described later) set in each air conditioner 1, and the like.
A PROM 13, an I / O 14 through which various data such as temperature data, operating state data, and command data are input / output;
A display unit 15 for displaying the operating state of each air conditioner 1 transmitted from the air conditioner 1 and a mouse 16 for selecting the air conditioner 1 to be turned on / off by an operation from the PC 4 are connected.

The PC 4 includes a display means, a function executed by the CPU 10 based on the control program,
Selection means, on / off control means, and distribution determination means are provided. The display means has a function of causing the display unit 15 to display the operation status of each air conditioner 1 transmitted from each air conditioner 1. The selection means has a function of selecting one of the air conditioners 1 to be turned on / off by an operation from the PC 4 based on an operation input of the mouse 16. The on / off control means has a function of turning on / off the air conditioner 1 selected by the operation input of the mouse 16. The distribution determining means converts the temperature data detected by a certain temperature sensor 5 into one of the air conditioners 1.
This is a function to determine whether to distribute to the Internet.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner control unit 3. As shown in FIG. The air conditioner control unit 3 has a CPU 17 for performing various controls according to a control program.
For U17, ROM 18 in which fixed data such as control programs are stored, operating condition data of air conditioner 1, set temperature for turning on / off air conditioner 1, temperature data from temperature sensor 5 distributed from PC 4, etc. RAM 19 in which the variable data is stored, data which must be continuously stored among the variable data, for example, the total operation time of the air conditioner 1, a unique ID number uniquely set for each air conditioner 1. , Emergency ID commonly set for all air conditioners 1
E, which is a non-volatile memory that stores numbers, maintenance ID numbers, etc., which are set in common for all air conditioners 1.
An EPROM 20, an I / O 21 for inputting / outputting various data to / from the air conditioner body 2 and the PC 4, a setting unit 22 for setting a temperature at which the air conditioner 1 is turned on / off, and the like are connected.

The unique ID number set for each air conditioner 1 is an identifier for identifying the air conditioner 1, and when a plurality of air conditioners 1 are connected to the PC 4 as shown in FIG. When temperature data or other data is transmitted to a specific air conditioner 1, a unique ID number of the air conditioner 1 to be transmitted is added to the data.
Thus, the data is received by the air conditioner 1 in which the unique ID number that matches the added unique ID number is set.

The emergency ID number set for each air conditioner 1 is a common ID number for all the air conditioners 1, and when a plurality of air conditioners 1 are connected to the PC 4 as shown in FIG. In a case where all the air conditioners 1 are urgently stopped when a trouble occurs in the air conditioners 1, an emergency ID number is added to the operation stop data transmitted from the PC 4. As a result, the operation stop data is transmitted to all the air conditioners 1 all at once, and all the air conditioners 1 are stopped immediately.

The maintenance I set for each air conditioner 1
The D number is an ID number common to all the air conditioners 1. This maintenance ID number is switched to a state in which each air conditioner 1 is individually connected to the PC 4 and each air conditioner 1
Is used when transmitting maintenance data to the air conditioner 1.
Even if the D number is not known, by adding the maintenance ID number to the maintenance data,
The maintenance data can be transmitted to each air conditioner 1. Thereby, the maintenance data can be transmitted to each air conditioner 1 without checking the unique ID number of each air conditioner 1, so that the maintenance data transmission operation to each air conditioner 1 can be performed smoothly. . As the maintenance here, each air conditioner 1
, And setting of a unique ID number for each air conditioner 1.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the temperature monitoring control unit 7. The temperature monitoring controller 7 has a CPU 23 for performing various controls in accordance with a control program.
For the PU 23, a ROM 24 in which fixed data such as a control program is stored, a RAM 25 in which variable data such as temperature data detected and detected by the temperature sensor body 6 and A / D converted, and a communication setting and the like are continuously stored. An EEPROM 26 for storing various data that needs to be stored, an I / O 27 for inputting and outputting temperature data between the temperature sensor body 6 and the wireless device 8, and the like are connected.

In such a configuration, in this air conditioner centralized management system, 15 air conditioners 1 are installed in an appropriate place as an air conditioning place in a factory, and three temperature sensors 5 are installed in a temperature measuring place in the factory. It is installed in an appropriate place. Then, the temperature at which each air conditioner 1 is turned on / off is set in the air conditioner control unit 3 of each air conditioner 1, and further, which air conditioner 1 distributes the temperature data detected by any temperature sensor 5. Is set by the PC 4, and then the operation of the air conditioner 1 is started.

When the operation of the air conditioner 1 is started, the temperature data detected by the temperature sensor 5 is transmitted to the P through the wireless devices 8 and 9.
The temperature data transmitted to C4 is transmitted to any one of the air conditioners 1, and the distributed temperature is compared with the on / off set temperature set in each air conditioner 1, and the comparison result is obtained. Accordingly, each air conditioner 1 is turned on / off.

In data transmission / reception between the PC 4 and each air conditioner 1, the data transmitted from the PC 4 has a unique ID.
Any one of a D number, an emergency ID number, and a maintenance ID number is added.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the processing operation of the air conditioner 1 when the data transmitted from the PC 4 is received by the air conditioner 1. It is determined whether or not the data transmitted from the PC 4 has been received (step S1).
If received (Y in step S1), whether the ID number added to the data is an emergency ID number (step S2), whether the ID number is a maintenance ID number (step S3), It is determined whether it is a unique ID number (step S4).

If the ID number added to the received data is an emergency ID number (Y in step S2), an emergency response process corresponding to the data, for example, an emergency stop of the air conditioner 1 is performed. (Step S5). The emergency I
Since the data with the D number is transmitted to all the air conditioners 1 at the same time, the emergency response process (step S5) is performed in all the air conditioners 1.

If the ID number added to the received data is a maintenance ID number (Y in step S3), a maintenance process corresponding to the data, for example,
The setting of a unique ID number for each air conditioner 1 is performed (step S6). When a maintenance ID number is added to the received data, the data is sequentially transmitted to each of the air conditioners 1, and the maintenance process is sequentially performed for each of the air conditioners 1.

Here, since a unique ID number can be set for each air conditioner 1 as a maintenance process for each air conditioner 1, a unique ID number can be assigned to each air conditioner 1 at the manufacturing stage and shipping stage of each air conditioner 1. There is no need to set them, and an emergency ID number and a maintenance ID number may be set for each air conditioner 1 at the manufacturing stage or shipping stage.
Thereby, it is possible to save the trouble of setting a unique ID number for each air conditioner 1 at a manufacturing stage or a shipping stage.

In this embodiment, since the unique ID number, the emergency ID number, and the maintenance ID number set in each air conditioner 1 are stored in the EEPROM 20, the ID numbers are stored as described in the conventional example. Since it is not necessary to provide an external switch for setting in each air conditioner 1 and the wiring structure for the external switch is not required, the structure of the air conditioner 1 is simplified. In particular, when three types of ID numbers are set as in this embodiment, three sets of external switches are required if the method is set with external switches, and air conditioning including the wiring structure of the external switches is required. The structure of the machine becomes very complicated.

[0035]

According to the air conditioner of the first aspect of the present invention,
When transmitting urgent emergency data to all of the plurality of air conditioners connected to the central control device, an emergency ID number that is commonly set in each air conditioner is added to the emergency data. By doing so, the emergency data can be transmitted to all the air conditioners at the same time, and the emergency data can be promptly transmitted to all the air conditioners in an emergency.

According to the air conditioner of the second aspect, when the maintenance data is transmitted for each air conditioner in a state where each air conditioner is individually connected to the central control device,
By adding the maintenance ID number to the maintenance data, the maintenance data can be transmitted to each air conditioner. When the maintenance data is transmitted, the unique ID number of each air conditioner is unknown. Therefore, transmission of maintenance data to each air conditioner can be performed smoothly.

According to the air conditioner of the third aspect of the present invention, when urgent data requiring urgency is transmitted to all of the plurality of air conditioners connected to the central control device, the emergency data is transmitted to the air conditioner. By adding an emergency ID number that is set in common for each air conditioner, the emergency data can be transmitted to all air conditioners at the same time. Data can be transmitted promptly, and if maintenance data is transmitted for each air conditioner in a state where each air conditioner is individually connected to the central control unit, the maintenance data is included in the maintenance data. By adding the ID number, the maintenance data can be transmitted to each air conditioner. When the maintenance data is transmitted, the unique ID number of each air conditioner is used. Because the transmission even in the absence shell becomes possible, it is possible to smoothly transmit the maintenance data for each air conditioner.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the air conditioner according to any one of the first to third aspects, each air conditioner has a rewritable nonvolatile memory as a means for storing each ID number. The structure of each air conditioner can be simplified by eliminating the need to provide an external switch for setting an ID number in the air conditioner. In particular, when two or more ID numbers are set in each air conditioner, the structure is simplified. Effect can be enhanced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a PC.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an air conditioner control device.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a temperature monitoring control device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation of the air conditioner when data transmitted from the PC is received by the air conditioner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Air conditioner 4 Central control device 20 Non-volatile memory

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. One of a plurality of air conditioners connected to a centralized management device via a local area network to transmit and receive data to and from the centralized management device, wherein the centralized management device transmits the data to each of the air conditioners. The unique ID number, which is an ID number unique to each air conditioner, which is added to the unique data when the unique data is individually transmitted to the air conditioner, and the emergency data is transmitted from the central control device to all the air conditioners. The air conditioner is characterized in that an emergency ID number, which is a common ID number, is set for each air conditioner added to the emergency data when are transmitted all at once. 2. One of a plurality of air conditioners connected to a central management device via a local area network to transmit and receive data to and from the central management device, wherein each of the air conditioners is And a unique ID number, which is an ID number unique to each air conditioner, which is added to the unique data when the unique data is transmitted to the air conditioners individually connected to the centralized management device. An air conditioner, wherein a maintenance ID number, which is a common ID number, is set for each air conditioner added to transmitted maintenance data. 3. One of a plurality of air conditioners connected to a central management device via a local area network to transmit and receive data to and from the central management device, wherein each of the air conditioners is The unique ID number, which is an ID number unique to each air conditioner, which is added to the unique data when the unique data is individually transmitted to the air conditioner, and the emergency data is transmitted from the central control device to all the air conditioners. Are transmitted at the same time, the emergency ID number is a common ID number for each air conditioner added to the emergency data, and is transmitted at the time of maintenance for the air conditioners individually connected to the central management device. An air conditioner, wherein a maintenance ID number, which is a common ID number for each air conditioner added to the maintenance data, is set. 4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising a rewritable nonvolatile memory as means for storing the ID numbers.