JP3083387B2 - Air conditioner group control address setting device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a group control address setting device for an air conditioner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-85643, a group control address setting device for an air conditioner requires a worker to control a group control address by a dip switch on a board when the air conditioner is installed. Is provided.

[0003] A conventional group control address setting device for an air conditioner will be described below. FIG. 7 shows the configuration of the group control address setting device of the air conditioner. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 14 denotes a remote controller. 11,1
Reference numerals 2 and 13 denote indoor units, which are internally provided with DIP switches 61, 62 and 63 for setting a group control address.

The operation of the group control address setting device for an air conditioner configured as described above will be described below.

When the air conditioner is installed, the indoor units 11, 12, and 13 are group-controlled by the remote controller 14 using the group control address set by the group control address setting DIP switches 61, 62, and 63 of the indoor units.

[0006]

However, in the conventional configuration, a group control address setting operation is required at the time of group control, and there is a high possibility that the group control address setting is erroneously performed. If the setting is erroneous, normal operation cannot be performed.
In addition, when group control is performed by increasing the number of indoor units, the user has to forget to set a group control address, and has a drawback that it cannot operate normally.

[0007] The present invention solves the conventional problems.
An object of the present invention is to provide a group control address setting device of an air conditioner in which a group control address is set only by connecting a signal transmission line, and an operation for setting the group control address is unnecessary.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a group control address setting device for an air conditioner according to the present invention is provided on a remote controller, for transmitting a group control address setting start signal to an indoor unit and for controlling a group control address. Remote control transmitting means for transmitting a group control address setting signal to the indoor unit that has transmitted the setting request signal, and receiving the group control address setting start signal provided when a group control address is not set in the plurality of indoor units. An indoor reception unit that outputs a signal, an indoor transmission unit that is provided in a plurality of indoor units and starts transmission of the group control address setting request signal including arbitrary data by a signal from the indoor reception unit, The group control provided in the indoor unit and transmitted from the indoor transmitting unit of the own indoor unit. A communication monitoring device that outputs a contention losing signal when the priority of the dress setting request signal is lower than the priority of the group control address setting request signal transmitted from another indoor unit. The indoor receiving means of the indoor unit that does not output a loss signal is configured to receive the group control address setting signal and recognize the group control address.

The group control address setting device for an air conditioner according to the present invention, in addition to the above configuration, further comprises a timer signal for setting a group control address even if a predetermined time has elapsed since the power supply to the indoor unit was turned on. Is output, and the indoor transmitting means transmits the group control address setting request signal in response to a timer signal of the timer.

[0010] In addition to the above configuration, the group control address setting device for an air conditioner according to the present invention, when the number of indoor units for group control is increased, the group transmission is performed by the indoor transmission means of the added indoor units. A control address setting request signal is transmitted, and the remote control transmission means includes a group control address storage device storing the number of group-controlled indoor units, and reads the number of indoor units from the group control address storage device, A group control address setting signal obtained by adding 1 to the number of the group is transmitted.

[0011]

According to the present invention, the indoor unit transmits the group control address setting start signal from the remote controller to the group control address setting request signal when there is no output of the contention loss signal from the communication monitoring device. Since the group control address is set based on the group control address setting signal from the remote controller, the group control address of the indoor unit can be set only by connecting the remote controller and each indoor unit with a signal transmission line.

Further, in addition to the above configuration, the present invention provides a timer signal which is output when the power to the indoor unit is turned on and the group control address has not been set even after a predetermined time has elapsed.
Since the indoor transmitting means transmits the group control address setting request signal, the group control address of the indoor unit is set even when the power of the indoor unit is turned on after the remote control transmits the group control address setting start signal.

The group control address setting device for an air conditioner according to the present invention further comprises a group control address storage device for storing the number of indoor units of the group control after the completion of the group control address setting. When the group control is performed by increasing the number of indoor units after the address setting is completed, a group control address setting request signal is transmitted from the indoor transmitting unit to the remote control transmitting unit after a predetermined time has elapsed, and the group control address is received after the remote control transmitting unit receives the signal. The remote control transmission means reads the number of indoor units from the storage device, and the indoor transmission means transmits a group control address setting signal of an address obtained by adding 1 to the number of indoor units read by the remote control transmission means. Even if an indoor unit is added later, the operation for setting the group control address is required. There becomes unnecessary.

[0014]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a group control address setting device for an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 11a, 12a and 13a are indoor units, and 14a is a remote controller. Reference numeral 15a denotes a remote control transmitting means provided on the remote controller 14a for transmitting a group control address setting start signal to the indoor units 11a, 12a, and 13a and transmitting a group control address setting signal to the indoor unit that has transmitted the group control address setting request signal. is there.

Reference numerals 41, 42 and 43 denote indoor units 11a and 12
a and 13a are indoor receiving means for outputting a signal when a group control address setting start signal is received when a group control address is not set.

Reference numerals 21a, 22a, and 23a denote indoor units 11a,
Indoor receiving means 41, 42, 4 provided in 12a, 13a
This is an indoor transmission unit that starts transmitting a group control address setting request signal including arbitrary data in response to a signal from the third unit.

Reference numerals 31, 32, 33 denote indoor units 11a, 12
a, 13a, indoor transmission means 2 of its own indoor unit
The priority of the group control address setting request signal transmitted from 1a, 22a, and 23a is compared with the priority of the group control address setting request signal transmitted from another indoor unit. 22a, 23
The communication monitoring device outputs a contention loss signal when the priority of the group control address setting request signal transmitted from a is lower than the priority of the group control address setting request signal transmitted from another indoor unit.

The indoor receiving means of the indoor unit to which the communication monitoring devices 31, 32, and 33 do not output the competitive loss signal receives the group control address setting signal and recognizes the group control address.

The operation of the address setting device for an air conditioner configured as described above will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the remote control 14a transmits a group control address setting start signal from the remote control transmitting means 15a (step 11), the indoor receiving means 4 of the indoor units 11a, 12a, 13a for which no group control address has been set.
1, 42 and 43 receive the group control address setting start signal and output a signal (steps 1 and 2). In response to the signal, each of the indoor transmission units 21a, 22a, and 23a starts transmitting a group control address setting request signal including arbitrary data (step 3).

Next, each of the communication monitoring devices 31, 32, 33 compares the group control address setting request signal transmitted by itself with the group control address setting request signal transmitted from another indoor unit (step 4). If the priority of the group control address setting request signal is low, the contention loss is detected and a contention loss signal is output (step 5 is Y).
After branching to the es side, step 9).

In this embodiment, it is assumed that the group control address setting request signal transmitted from the indoor unit 11a has the highest priority. Communication monitoring device 3 for indoor units 12a and 13a
2 and 33 detect the competition loss and output the competition loss signal to the indoor transmitting means 21a, 22a and 23a and the indoor receiving means 41, 42 and 43 (Yes in step 5).
After branching to the side, step 9).

The indoor transmitting means 22a and 23a interrupt the transmission by the respective competitive loss signals (step 10).
Only the indoor unit 11a completes transmission of the group control address setting request signal (after branching from step 5 to No, step 6).

The remote control 14a includes a remote control transmitting unit 15
A transmits a group control address setting signal which is a response signal to the group control address setting request signal (step 13). Each indoor unit receives this group control address setting signal in the indoor receiving means 41, 42, 43,
Then, only the indoor receiving means 41 having no input of the contention losing signal at the time of transmitting the group control address setting request signal sets its own group control address based on the group control address setting signal (after branching from step 7 to the Yes side, step 8). ).

Next, the indoor transmission means 22 of each of the indoor units 12a and 13a whose transmission of the group control address setting request signal is interrupted because the group control address has not been set.
a and 23a start transmitting a group control address setting request signal (steps 10 to 3), and perform the above-described series of operations according to the priority of each group control address setting request signal.

This series of operations is repeated until each indoor unit stops transmitting the group control address setting request signal.
Group control addresses for all indoor units can be set.

Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Note that the same components as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an air conditioner group control address setting device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 3, reference numerals 11b, 12b, and 13b denote indoor units.
b, 23b, communication monitoring devices 31, 32, 33, indoor receiving means 41, 42, 43, and a timer for outputting a timer signal when the group control address has not been set even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the power was turned on. 51, 52, and 53. Reference numeral 14a denotes a remote control, in which a remote control transmitting means 1 is provided.
5a.

The indoor transmission means 21b, 22b, 23b
Indoor transmitting means 21a, 22a, 2 in the first embodiment
In addition to the function 3a, the timer 51, 52, 53 has a function of starting transmission of a group control address setting request signal including arbitrary data when the timer signal is output.

The operation of the group control address setting device for an air conditioner configured as described above will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the power of the indoor units 11b, 12b, and 13b is turned on, the timers 51, 52, and 53 each start counting a predetermined time (step 14). The group control address setting operation when the group control address setting start signal is received from the remote control transmission unit 15a during the counting of the predetermined time (operation from step 19 after branching from step 16 to the Yes side to the end) is the first operation.
Since the operation is the same as that of the embodiment (the operation from step 3 to the end), the description is omitted.

If the group control address has not been set after the elapse of the predetermined time, the timers 51, 52 and 53 each output a timer signal (after branching from step 17 to the Yes side, step 18). In response to this timer signal, the indoor transmission means 21b, 22b and 23b each start transmitting a group control address setting request signal including arbitrary data (step 19).

From step 19 to the end, the same operation as that after the start of the transmission of the group control address setting request signal of the first embodiment (from step 4 to the end) is performed, and the group control of all the indoor units 11b, 12b and 13b is performed. By setting the address, even when the power of the indoor unit is turned on after the remote controller transmits the group control address setting start signal, the group control address can be set only by connecting the signal transmission path.

Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description is omitted.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a group control address setting device of an air conditioner according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 5, 11b, 12b, 13b, 1
0b is an indoor unit, and each of the indoor units
1b, 22b, 23b, 20b and the communication monitoring device 31,
32, 33, 30 and indoor receiving means 41, 42, 43,
40 and timers 51, 52, 53 and 50. 14b is a remote control, in which a remote control transmitting means 15 is provided.
b and a group control address storage device 16 for storing the number of indoor units for group control.

The remote control transmitting means 15b reads the number (N) of indoor units from the group control address storage device in addition to the function of the remote control transmitting means 15a in the first embodiment, and reads the group control address of the group control address (N + 1). It has a function of transmitting a setting signal.

The operation of the air conditioner group control address setting device configured as described above will now be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In this embodiment, for example, the indoor units 13b, 10
When b is added and the power is turned on (step 20), after a predetermined time elapses, the indoor transmission means 23b and 20b of the indoor unit for which the group control address has not been set start transmitting a group control address request signal containing arbitrary data (step 20). Step 3).

Next, each of the communication monitoring devices 33 and 30 compares the group address setting signal transmitted by itself with the group address setting signal transmitted from another indoor unit (step 4), and outputs the own group control address request signal. If the priority is low, the competition loss signal is detected and a competition loss signal is output (after branching from step 5 to the Yes side, step 9).

For example, assuming that the group control address setting request signal transmitted by the indoor unit 13b is high, the communication monitoring device 30 of the indoor unit 10b detects the competitive loss signal and outputs the competitive loss signal to each of the indoor transmission means 21b, 22b, 23b, 23b. 2
0b and output to the indoor receiving means 41, 42, 43, 40 (step 5 after branching from step 5 to Yes).

The indoor transmitting means 20b interrupts the transmission by the contention losing signal (step 10), and completes the transmission of the group control address setting request signal only for the indoor unit 13b (step 6 after branching from step 5 to No) (step 6).

The number of indoor units (N) controlled by the group is controlled by the remote control transmitting means 15b from the group control address storage device.
Is read (step 21), and a group control address setting signal (N + 1) is transmitted (step 22).

The group control address setting signal is received by the indoor receiving means 41, 42, 43, and 40, and the group control address is not set and the indoor receiving means 43 which does not receive the contention loss signal when transmitting the group control address setting request signal. Only the own sets its own group control address (N + 1) based on the group control address setting signal (step 23).

Next, the indoor transmission means 20b of the indoor unit 10b, which has not transmitted the group control address setting request signal because the group control address has not been set, starts transmitting the group control address setting request signal (from step 10 to step 10). 3) The above series of operations are performed according to the priority of the group control address setting request signal.

This series of operations is repeated until each indoor unit no longer transmits the group control address setting request signal, so that even if additional indoor units are added after the group control address setting, group control is performed only by connecting signal transmission paths. The address can be set.

[0050]

As described above, the present invention transmits a group control address setting start signal to an indoor unit provided in a remote controller and transmits a group control address setting signal to the indoor unit which has transmitted a group control address setting request signal. Remote control transmitting means, a plurality of indoor units, and indoor receiving means for outputting a signal by receiving the group control address setting start signal when a group control address is not set, provided in the plurality of indoor units. An indoor transmitting means for starting transmission of the group control address setting request signal including arbitrary data according to a signal from the indoor receiving means, and transmitting from the indoor transmitting means of its own indoor unit provided in a plurality of indoor units. The priority of the group control address setting request signal is the priority of the group transmitted from another indoor unit. A communication monitoring device that outputs a contention losing signal when the priority is lower than the priority of the control address setting request signal, and the indoor receiving unit of the indoor unit, wherein the communication monitoring device does not output the contention losing signal, The configuration is such that a group control address setting signal is received and the group control address is recognized.

Thus, the work for setting the group control address is unnecessary, and the group control addresses of all the indoor units can be set only by connecting the remote controller and each indoor unit.

Further, the present invention includes a timer for outputting a timer signal when the group control address is not set within a predetermined time after the indoor unit is turned on, and the indoor unit receives the timer signal from the timer. The transmitting means transmits a group control address setting request signal.

Thus, the group control addresses of all the indoor units can be set regardless of the timing of turning on the power to the indoor units and the remote controller.

The present invention further comprises a group control address storage device for storing the number of indoor units for group control after the group control address setting, and after the group control address setting, increasing the number of the indoor units to perform group control. When a predetermined time has elapsed, after the remote control transmitting unit receives the group control address setting request signal from the indoor transmitting unit, the remote control transmitting unit reads the number of the indoor units from the group control address storage device, The configuration is such that a group control address setting signal obtained by adding 1 to the number is transmitted.

Thus, even when an indoor unit is added after the group control address is set, the operation for setting the group control address becomes unnecessary.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a group control address setting device of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the group control address setting device of the air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an air conditioner group control address setting device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the group control address setting device of the air conditioner according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a group control address setting device of an air conditioner according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the group control address setting device of the air conditioner according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the operation of a group control address setting device for an air conditioner according to the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10b Indoor unit 11a, 11b Indoor unit 12a, 12b Indoor unit 13a, 13b Indoor unit 14a, 14b Remote control 15a, 15b Remote control transmission means 20b Indoor transmission means 21a, 21b Indoor transmission means 22a, 22b Indoor transmission means 23a, 23b Indoor transmission means Reference Signs List 30 communication monitoring device 31 communication monitoring device 32 communication monitoring device 33 communication monitoring device 40 indoor receiving means 41 indoor receiving means 42 indoor receiving means 43 indoor receiving means 50 timer 51 timer 52 timer 53 timer

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F24F 11/02 103 F24F 11/02 104 G08C 15/06

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A remote control transmitting means provided on a remote controller for transmitting a group control address setting start signal to the indoor unit and transmitting a group control address setting signal to the indoor unit transmitting the group control address setting request signal; An indoor receiving means for outputting a signal by receiving the group control address setting start signal when a group control address provided in the indoor unit is not set,
Indoor transmission means provided in the plurality of indoor units and starting transmission of the group control address setting request signal including arbitrary data by a signal from the indoor reception means, and its own indoor unit provided in the plurality of indoor units Communication for outputting a contention losing signal when the priority of the group control address setting request signal transmitted from the indoor transmitting means is lower than the priority of the group control address setting request signal transmitted from another indoor unit. A monitoring device, wherein the communication receiving device does not output the competitive losing signal and the indoor receiving means of the indoor unit receives the group control address setting signal and recognizes a group control address. Harmonizer group control address setting device. 2. When a group control address has not been set even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the indoor unit was powered on,
2. The group control address setting device for an air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising a timer for outputting a timer signal, wherein the indoor transmission means transmits a group control address setting request signal in accordance with the timer signal of the timer. . 3. A group control address storage device for storing the number of indoor units for group control after the group control address setting is completed.
When group control is performed by increasing the number of indoor units, a group control address setting request signal is transmitted from the indoor transmission unit of the added indoor unit to the remote control transmission unit, and after the remote control transmission unit receives the group control address, the group control address is transmitted. The remote control transmitting means reads the number of indoor units from the storage device, and transmits a group control address setting signal obtained by adding 1 to the number of indoor units stored in the group control address storage device. Item 3. The group control address setting device for an air conditioner according to Item 2.