JP7019314B2 - Interlocking recognition device, interlocking recognition method, and interlocking recognition system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an interlocking recognition device, an interlocking recognition method, and an interlocking recognition method for recognizing an interlocking group of equipment to be interlocked and controlled in a whole building air conditioning system equipped with a VAV (Variable Air Volume Control) control (variable air volume control) function. It is related to the interlocking recognition system.

Conventionally, an air-conditioning system that controls air-conditioning by dividing the equipment for air-conditioning into groups has been known. For example, in an air conditioning system in which a plurality of air conditioners can be connected, a remote controller groups the plurality of air conditioners based on the address to which the plurality of air conditioners are connected, and controls the air conditioning for each group. The technique to be performed is disclosed (for example, Patent Document 1).
In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, air conditioners having adjacent addresses are assigned to the same group so that the air conditioner is not connected to an address between one group and another group, and a free address is provided. It is provided so that it can be recognized that it is a different group.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-217515

In the whole building air conditioning system equipped with the VAV control function, the air conditioner performs VAV control for each room, for example. That is, in each room, the installed air-conditioning equipment is linked and controlled as one interlocking group, and the interlocking group of the air-conditioning equipment installed in each room is the air-conditioning control by the air conditioner. It becomes a unit.
In the whole building air conditioning system equipped with such a VAV control function, as a method of recognizing an interlocking group of equipment to be interlocked and controlled, a group to which an air conditioner belongs, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, It is conceivable to apply the recognition method.
However, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, as described above, each group is recognized by the vacancy of the address, so that the interlocking group cannot be recognized unless the address to connect to the equipment is vacant. There was a challenge.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an interlocking recognition device capable of recognizing an interlocking group of equipment to be interlocked and controlled.

The interlocking recognition device according to the present invention has a parent identification unit that identifies the equipment in which the related equipment exists as the parent equipment and a plurality of parent identification units based on the equipment-related information related to the plurality of equipments installed in the facility. When the parent equipment is specified , among the multiple equipment, the child equipment other than the multiple parent equipment specified by the parent identification unit is smaller than the address assigned to the child equipment and is the child equipment. It is equipped with a recognition unit that recognizes the parent equipment to which the nearest address of the address assigned to is assigned as the interlocking destination of the child equipment from among a plurality of parent equipment and generates information indicating the recognition result. It is a thing.

According to the present invention, it is possible to recognize an interlocking group of equipment that is interlocked and controlled.

It is a schematic block diagram of the interlocking recognition system provided with the interlocking recognition apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the whole building air-conditioning system to which the interlocking recognition system of Embodiment 1 is applied. It is a schematic block diagram of the interlocking recognition apparatus of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a schematic block diagram of the control device of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the allocation information stored in the allocation information storage part in Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation of the interlocking recognition apparatus of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the content of the allocation information which a parent identification part temporarily stored in the storage part in Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the image of the result which the recognition part recognized the interlocking group of the outlet which should be interlocked and controlled in Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure explaining an example of the image of the operation which recognizes the interlocking group of the outlet which is interlocked and controlled by the interlocking recognition apparatus in Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation of the control apparatus of Embodiment 1. FIG. In the first embodiment, it is a figure which shows the image of an example of the operation which the interlocking recognition apparatus 1 recognizes a measurement temperature interlocking group based on the association between an outlet and a temperature sensor. In the first embodiment, the interlocking recognition device identifies a parent outlet and controls in conjunction with each other according to whether or not an associated remote controller exists and whether or not an associated temperature sensor exists. It is a figure which shows the image of an example of the operation which recognizes the interlocking group of a plurality of outlets.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
Embodiment 1.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an interlocking recognition system including the interlocking recognition device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The interlocking recognition system of the first embodiment is premised on being applied to the whole building air conditioning system.
First, the whole building air conditioning system will be described.
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an entire building air conditioning system to which the interlocking recognition system of the first embodiment is applied.
In FIG. 2, as an example, the whole building air conditioning system is supposed to air-condition four rooms 200a to 200d in the building.
It should be noted that this is only an example, and the whole building air-conditioning system may, for example, air-condition two or four or more rooms, or the target of air-conditioning may be a passage in a building or the like.

Further, FIG. 2 shows a case where the building is, for example, a two-story building and the rooms 200c and 200d on the first floor and the rooms 200a and 200b on the second floor are air-conditioned in the whole building air-conditioning system. Is only an example, and the whole building air-conditioning system may perform air-conditioning in a one-story building or a building having three or more floors.
Further, in the first embodiment, it is assumed that the whole building air conditioning system is equipped with a VAV control (variable air volume control) function. In VAV control, it is possible to set the temperature for each room 200a to 200d in the building, and a variable air volume device (not shown) such as a damper installed in the outlets 300a to 300e (details will be described later) is 200a in each room. By adjusting the air volume to ~ 200d, the temperature of each of 200a to 200d is controlled to approach the set temperature.

The whole building air conditioning system includes an air conditioner 100 that generates and sends out cold air or hot air, a chamber 400 into which the cold air or hot air generated by the air conditioner 100 is introduced, and rooms 200a to 200d connected to the chamber 400. It is composed of ducts 500a to 500e leading to outlets 300a to 300e and a variable air volume device.
The air conditioner 100 includes an indoor unit (not shown) installed indoors such as a corridor and an outdoor unit (not shown) installed outdoors. In FIG. 2, the air conditioner 100 is assumed to indicate an indoor unit.
The air conditioner 100 is connected to, for example, a chamber 400 installed behind the ceiling via a duct 500e, and cold air or hot air generated and transmitted by the air conditioner 100 is introduced into the chamber 400.
The cold air or hot air introduced into the chamber 400 from the air conditioner 100 side branches into ducts 500a to 500d, and from the outlets 300a to 300e installed in the rooms 200a to 200d, respectively, each room 200a to 200d. Is sent within. That is, the air such as cold air or hot air generated by the air conditioner 100 is supplied to each room 200a to 200d from the outlets 300a to 300e.

The amount of cold air or hot air blown from the outlets 300a to 300e is adjusted by the opening degree of the variable air volume device provided in the outlets 300a to 300e of each room 200a to 200d connected to the ducts 500a to 500e. Ru. The air supplied to each room 200a to 200d by being adjusted and sent out is returned to the air conditioner 100 after passing through each room 200a to 200d.

The air conditioner 100 performs a temperature control operation of the blown air based on the information of the set temperature in each room 200a to 200d acquired from the remote controllers 20a to 20d (hereinafter referred to as a remote controller) corresponding to each room 200a to 200d, for example. Execute. The user operates the remote controllers 20a to 20d to set the set temperature of each room 200a to 200d as a desired temperature.
In FIG. 2, the remote control 20a sets the user's desired temperature in the room 200a, the remote control 20b sets the user's desired temperature in the room 200b, and the remote control 20c sets the user's desired temperature in the room 200c. It is assumed that the user's desired temperature in the room 200d from 20d is set.
As described above, in the whole building air-conditioning system of the first embodiment, the corresponding remote controllers 20a to 20d are provided in units of rooms 200a to 200d in which the air conditioner 100 controls the transmission of cold air or hot air.
The control operation of the air conditioner 100 described above is only an example, and the air conditioner 100 executes various control operations in addition to the temperature control operation as described above. For example, the air conditioner 100 executes a control operation of turning on or off the temperature control based on the temperature control information acquired from the remote controllers 20a to 20d. Further, the air conditioner 100 executes an air volume control operation such as setting the air volume to strong wind, weak wind, or light wind based on the information of the air volume setting acquired from the remote controllers 20a to 20d, for example.

In the whole building air-conditioning system of the first embodiment, one outlet 300a to 300e installed in the rooms 200a to 200d corresponding to the remote controllers 20a to 20d is associated with one remote controller 20a to 20d. Is assumed. Specifically, an address is assigned to each of the outlets 300a to 300e, and the address is associated with the remote controllers 20a to 20d.

When a plurality of outlets 300a to 300e are installed in the rooms 200a to 200d, one of the plurality of outlets 300a to 300e is represented and associated with the corresponding remote controllers 20a to 20d.
In the example of FIG. 2, the room 200c is provided with two outlets, an outlet 300c and an outlet 300d. In this case, for example, the outlet 300c is represented and associated with the corresponding remote controller 20c.

As described above, the air conditioner 100 executes the temperature control operation of the blown air based on the information of the set temperature in each room 200a to 200d acquired from the remote controllers 20a to 20d.
Therefore, the air conditioner 100 needs to grasp the relationship between the remote controllers 20a to 20d and the outlets 300a to 300e installed in the rooms 200a to 200d.
Since one outlet 300a to 300e installed in the rooms 200a to 200d corresponding to the remote controller 20a to 20d is associated with one remote controller 20a to 20d, the air conditioner 100 is a remote controller from the association. It is possible to grasp the relationship between the 20a to 20d and one outlet 300a to 300e associated with the remote controllers 20a to 20d.
On the other hand, for example, when a plurality of outlets 300c and 300d are installed in one room 200c as in the above-mentioned room 200c, the remote controller 20c and the outlet 300d are not associated with each other. However, the outlet 300d needs to be interlocked with the outlet 300c and to perform the same transmission control as the cold air or hot air transmitted from the outlet 300c.

Therefore, in the interlocking recognition system according to the first embodiment, the interlocking recognition device 1 recognizes the interlocking group of the outlets 300a to 300e to be interlocked and controlled, and the air conditioner 100 is recognized by the interlocking recognition device 1. The temperature control operation of the blown air is executed based on the information of the set temperature acquired from the corresponding remote controllers 20a to 20d in the interlocking group unit. Specifically, as described above, the air conditioner 100 adjusts the air blowing amount according to the opening degree of the variable air volume device provided in the outlets 300a to 300e and the like. The details of the interlocking recognition device 1 will be described later.

Returning to the description of FIG.
In the following description, the outlets 300a to 300e are collectively referred to as the outlet 300. Further, in the following description, the remote controllers 20a to 20d are collectively referred to as the remote controller 20.
The interlocking recognition system of the first embodiment includes an interlocking recognition device 1 and a control device 2. In the first embodiment, the control device 2 is provided in each outlet 300. The interlocking recognition device 1 and the control device 2 are connected via a network.
Although only one control device 2 is shown in FIG. 1 for the sake of simplicity, the interlocking recognition device 1 is connected to each control device 2 provided in each outlet 300.

The interlocking recognition device 1 recognizes the interlocking group of the outlet 300 to be interlocked and controlled based on the equipment-related information related to the outlet 300. For example, the interlocking recognition device 1 recognizes the interlocking group by using the information indicating the association between the address of the outlet 300 and the remote controller 20 as the equipment-related information.
In the first embodiment, the information indicating the association between the address of the outlet 300 and the remote control 20 is referred to as allocation information, and in the following description, the interlocking recognition device 1 uses the allocation information as equipment-related information and the allocation information. Based on, the interlocking group shall be recognized. The details of the allocation information will be described later.
The interlocking recognition device 1 acquires the allocation information from the control device 2 and recognizes the interlocking group of the outlet 300 to be interlocked and controlled.

The control device 2 manages the allocation information and transmits the allocation information to the interlocking recognition device 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of the interlocking recognition device 1 of the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 3, the interlocking recognition device 1 includes a command transmission unit 11, an allocation information receiving unit 12, a parent identification unit 13, and a recognition unit 14.
The command transmission unit 11 transmits a monitor command to the control device 2 via the network. The command transmission unit 11 transmits monitor commands in ascending order of the addresses assigned to the outlets 300. Specifically, the command transmission unit 11 transmits monitor commands to addresses within a predetermined range in ascending order of the addresses. The address of the outlet 300 is assigned within the predetermined range.
A predetermined range of addresses is stored in advance in a place where the interlocking recognition device 1 can refer to, and the command transmission unit 11 transmits a monitor command based on the stored address information. ..

The allocation information receiving unit 12 receives the allocation information transmitted from the control device 2 in response to the monitor command transmitted by the command transmitting unit 11. The allocation information receiving unit 12 outputs the received allocation information to the parent specifying unit 13.

Based on the allocation information output from the allocation information receiving unit 12, the parent specifying unit 13 identifies the outlet 300 in which the associated remote controller 20 exists as the parent outlet. The parent specifying unit 13 temporarily stores the specified parent outlet allocation information in a storage unit (not shown). At this time, the parent identification unit 13 temporarily stores the allocation information so that it can be understood that the allocation information temporarily stored is the allocation information of the parent outlet, for example, by assigning a parent flag. To. This is only an example, and the parent identification unit 13 may temporarily store the allocation information so that it can be understood that it is the allocation information of the parent outlet.
Based on the allocation information, the parent specifying unit 13 determines that the outlet 300 to which the associated remote controller 20 does not exist is not the parent outlet (child outlet), and temporarily stores the outlet 300 as it is in the storage unit.

The recognition unit 14 acquires the allocation information temporarily stored in the storage unit by the parent identification unit 13, and recognizes the interlocking group of the outlet 300 to be interlocked and controlled based on the acquired allocation information. Specifically, first, the recognition unit 14 specifies the outlet 300 other than the parent outlet as the child outlet.
Then, the recognition unit 14 searches for and searches for the parent outlet of the address smaller than the address assigned to the child outlet and the nearest address of the address assigned to the child outlet for the child outlet. The parent outlet is used as the interlocking destination of the child outlet. When there are a plurality of child outlets, the recognition unit 14 recognizes the interlocking group to which each child outlet belongs.
As a result, for all the outlets 300, the interlocking group of the outlets 300 to be interlocked and controlled is recognized.
The air conditioner 100 executes a temperature control operation of the blown air based on the information of the set temperature acquired from the corresponding remote controllers 20a to 20d in the interlocking group unit based on the interlocking group recognized by the recognition unit 14.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of the control device 2 of the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 2 includes a command receiving unit 21, an allocation information acquisition unit 22, an allocation information transmission unit 23, and an allocation information storage unit 24.
The command receiving unit 21 receives a monitor command from the interlocking recognition device 1 via the network. The command receiving unit 21 outputs information to the effect that the monitor command has been received to the allocation information acquisition unit 22.

When the allocation information acquisition unit 22 outputs information indicating that the monitor command has been received from the command reception unit 21, the allocation information acquisition unit 22 refers to the allocation information storage unit 24 and acquires the allocation information stored in the allocation information storage unit 24. do. The allocation information acquisition unit 22 outputs the acquired allocation information to the allocation information transmission unit 23.
Here, FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of allocation information stored in the allocation information storage unit 24 in the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 5, the allocation information storage unit 24 is associated with information for specifying the outlet 300, such as an ID or a name, an address assigned to the outlet 300, and information on the associated remote controller. The allocated allocation information is stored.
The work of setting the allocation information is performed in advance by the administrator or the like when the air conditioner 100 or the like is installed.

Although the allocation information of the outlet A is shown as an example in FIG. 5, the manager or the like sets the allocation information for all the outlets 300 installed in the air conditioning management system. For example, in the example of FIG. 2, the administrator or the like sets the allocation information for the outlets 300a to 300e.
At that time, the administrator or the like associates the information of the remote controller 20 with the one outlet 300 corresponding to the remote controller 20 for one remote controller 20, and sets the information as the allocation information. Further, the administrator or the like assigns a continuous address to the outlet 300 to be controlled in conjunction with the outlet 300. For example, in the example of FIG. 2, a continuous address is assigned to the outlet 300c and the outlet 300d, the information of the remote controller 20c is set in the allocation information of the outlet 300c, and the allocation information of the outlet 300d is set. , The remote control information will not be set. When there are a plurality of outlets 300 to be controlled in conjunction with each other, the administrator or the like assigns the smallest address to one representative outlet 300, and the information of the remote controller 20 is assigned to the representative outlet 300. To set the allocation information by associating. That is, in the example of FIG. 2, the outlet 300c is assigned an address smaller than that of the outlet 300d.

When there are a plurality of interlocking groups of a plurality of outlets 300 to be interlocked and controlled, the administrator or the like allocates consecutive addresses to the addresses between the interlocking groups.
For example, there are four outlets X, Y, Z, W, and the four outlets X, Y, Z, W are divided into two outlets X, Y and Z, W. It is assumed that they are controlled in conjunction with the remote controllers x and y, respectively. In this case, for example, the administrator or the like assigns the addresses of "11", "12", "13", and "14" to the outlets X, Y, Z, and W, respectively, and assigns the addresses to the outlets X and Z, respectively. Set the allocation information associated with the remote controllers x and y. For example, the administrator or the like sets the address "13" as a free address and allocates the addresses "11", "12", "14", and "15" to the outlets X, Y, Z, and W. It doesn't matter. When the addresses of the plurality of outlets 300 to be interlocked and controlled are arranged in the order of addresses, the addresses of the outlets 300 to be interlocked and controlled so that the addresses of the outlets 300 belonging to other interlocking groups are not sandwiched between them. Should be allocated.

Further, in the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the allocation information is set with information such as the ID or name of the remote controller 20 that can identify the remote controller 20 corresponding to the outlet 300. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and information on whether or not there is a remote controller 20 corresponding to the outlet 300 may be set, and the presence or absence of the remote controller 20 associated with the outlet 300 can be determined from the allocation information. You just need to be able to judge.

The allocation information transmission unit 23 transmits the allocation information output from the allocation information acquisition unit 22 to the interlocking recognition device 1 via the network.

The allocation information storage unit 24 stores allocation information as shown in FIG.
In the first embodiment, the control device 2 is provided with the allocation information storage unit 24, but the allocation information storage unit 24 is not limited to this, and the control device 2 outside the control device 2 can be referred to. You may be prepared for the place.

The operation of the interlocking recognition device 1 and the control device 2 in the interlocking recognition system of the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the interlocking recognition device 1 of the first embodiment.
For example, when the power is turned on to the interlocking recognition device 1, the command transmission unit 11 transmits a monitor command to the control device 2 via the network (step ST601). The command transmission unit 11 transmits monitor commands in ascending order of the addresses assigned to the outlets 300.

The control device 2 receives the monitor command and transmits the allocation information (see FIG. 5) to the interlocking recognition device 1 as a response to the monitor command. The details of the operation in the control device 2 will be described later.

When the allocation information receiving unit 12 receives the allocation information from the control device 2 (in the case of “YES” in step ST602), the allocation information receiving unit 12 outputs the received allocation information to the parent identification unit 13.
When the allocation information receiving unit 12 cannot receive the allocation information (when “NO” in step ST602), the allocation information receiving unit 12 considers that the control device 2 is not connected to the destination address of the monitor command transmitted in step ST601. Notify the command transmission unit 11 to that effect. Then, the command transmission unit 11 transmits a monitor command to the next address.
When the allocation information receiving unit 12 outputs a notification that the allocation information has not been received, the command transmitting unit 11 may retransmit the monitor command a predetermined number of times. .. As a result, when the allocation information is not received for a predetermined period of time, the command transmission unit 11 may transmit the monitor command to the next address.
Further, when the allocation information receiving unit 12 cannot receive the allocation information, the control unit (not shown) may output a notification or the like indicating that the control device 2 is not connected to the corresponding address.

The parent specifying unit 13 determines whether or not the information is the allocation information of the parent outlet based on the allocation information output from the allocation information receiving unit 12 in step ST602 (step ST603). Specifically, the parent specifying unit 13 determines whether or not the information is the allocation information of the parent outlet depending on whether or not the information of the associated remote controller 20 is set in the allocation information.
When it is determined in step ST603 that the information is the allocation information of the parent outlet (when “YES” in step ST603), the parent identification unit 13 uses the outlet 300 in which the associated remote controller 20 is present based on the allocation information. , Identified as a parent outlet (step ST604). Then, the parent specifying unit 13 temporarily stores the specified parent outlet allocation information in a storage unit (not shown) (step ST605).

On the other hand, in step ST603, when it is determined that the information is not the allocation information of the parent outlet (when "NO" in step ST603), that is, when the information of the associated remote controller 20 is not set in the allocation information, the parent. The specific unit 13 determines that the associated remote controller 20 is a child outlet that does not exist, skips the process of step ST604, and temporarily stores the allocation information as it is in the storage unit (step ST605).

In step ST606, the command transmission unit 11 completes the transmission of all monitor commands to the configurable address range, that is, when the transmitted monitor command is the maximum address in the configurable address range (“YES” in step ST606. ”), Proceed to step ST607.

In step ST606, if the command transmission unit 11 has not completed transmission of all monitor commands to the settable address range (when “NO” in step ST606), the command transmission unit 11 returns to step ST601, and the command transmission unit 11 returns to step ST601. , Send a monitor command to the following address.

The recognition unit 14 acquires the allocation information temporarily stored in the storage unit by the parent identification unit 13 in step ST605, and recognizes the interlocking group of the outlet 300 to be interlocked and controlled based on the acquired allocation information (step). ST607). Specifically, first, the recognition unit 14 identifies the child outlet based on the allocation information. Then, the recognition unit 14 determines the parent outlet, which is smaller than the address assigned to the child outlet and is closest to the address assigned to the child outlet, based on the allocation information. The search is performed, and the searched parent outlet is set as the interlocking destination of the child outlet.

Here, for example, it is assumed that the allocation information temporarily stored in the storage unit by the parent identification unit 13 in step ST605 has the contents as shown in FIG. 7.
In addition, in FIG. 7, as an example, it is assumed that the parent specifying unit 13 assigns a parent flag to the allocation information of the parent outlet so that it can be understood that the information is the allocation information of the parent outlet.
As described above, in step ST601, since the command transmission unit 11 transmits the monitor command in the ascending order of the addresses assigned to the outlet 300, the command transmission unit 11 is transmitted from the control device 2 to the storage unit in the ascending order of the addresses. Allocation information is stored. Therefore, the allocation information acquired by the recognition unit 14 from the storage unit is also in ascending order of the addresses. The recognition unit 14 may sort the allocation information acquired from the storage unit so that the information is arranged in the order of the addresses again.

As shown in FIG. 7, the outlets A, B, C, and E are parent outlets in which the associated remote controllers a, b, c, and d are present, respectively. Therefore, in step ST604, the parent specifying unit 13 assigns the parent flag “1” to the allocation information of the outlets A, B, C, and E, respectively.
The recognition unit 14 identifies the outlet D as a child outlet.

Then, the recognition unit 14 determines that the outlet D is smaller than the address "4" assigned to the outlet D and the nearest parent outlet of the address "4" assigned to the outlet D. Search for. As a result, the outlet C is searched by the recognition unit 14.
The recognition unit 14 recognizes the searched outlet C as an interlocking destination of the outlet D.

As a result, the image allocation information as shown in FIG. 8 is generated, and the interlocking group of the outlet 300 to be interlocked and controlled is recognized. In FIG. 8, in order to show that the outlet C is recognized as the interlocking destination of the outlet D, it is assumed that the information of the interlocking destination is given to the outlet C instead of the parent flag.
The recognition unit 14 transmits the allocation information recognized by the interlocking group for all the outlets 300 to the air conditioner 100. Not limited to this, the recognition unit 14 may store, for example, the allocation information recognized by the interlocking group for all the outlets 300 in a place where the air conditioner 100 can refer.
The air conditioner 100 executes a temperature control operation of the blown air based on the information of the set temperature acquired from the corresponding remote controllers 20a to 20d in the interlocking group unit based on the interlocking group recognized by the recognition unit 14.

The recognition unit 14 initializes the storage unit (step ST608).

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image of an operation of recognizing an interlocking group of outlets 300 in which the interlocking recognition device 1 is interlocked and controlled in the first embodiment. FIG. 9A is an example of an image of a state before the interlocking recognition device 1 recognizes the interlocking group of the outlet 300 which is interlocked and controlled. FIG. 9B shows the interlocking recognition device 1 from the state of FIG. 9A. This is an example of an image of the result of recognizing an interlocking group of outlets 300 that are interlocked and controlled.

In FIG. 9, as an example, the air conditioner 100 performs a temperature control operation of the blown air at the entrance, the LDK, and the rooms 1 to 4 in the building, and the entrance, the LDK, and the rooms 1 to 4 have the temperature control operation. Each shows an image of an operation in which the interlocking recognition device 1 recognizes an interlocking group of air outlets 300 interlocked and controlled when a remote controller 20 for setting a desired temperature by a user exists.
The entrance and the rooms 3 and 4 are spatially narrow areas, only one outlet 300 is installed in the area, and the LDK and the rooms 1 and 2 are spatially wide areas. , It is assumed that a plurality of outlets 300 are installed in the area. Then, for the plurality of outlets 300 installed in the area of the LDK and the rooms 1 and 2, one outlet 300 is typically associated with the remote controller 20 (see FIG. 9A).
In the state shown in FIG. 9A, the interlocking recognition device 1 recognizes six interlocking groups as shown in FIG. 9B.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the control device 2 of the first embodiment.
The command receiving unit 21 waits until it receives a monitor command (see step ST601 in FIG. 6) transmitted from the interlocking recognition device 1 via the network (in the case of “NO” in step ST1001), and the interlocking recognition device 1 When the monitor command transmitted from is received (in the case of "YES" in step ST1001), the information indicating that the monitor command has been received is output to the allocation information acquisition unit 22.

When the allocation information acquisition unit 22 outputs the information indicating that the monitor command has been received from the command reception unit 21 in step ST1001, the allocation information acquisition unit 22 refers to the allocation information storage unit 24 and stores it in the allocation information storage unit 24. Acquire allocation information (step ST1002). The allocation information acquisition unit 22 outputs the acquired allocation information to the allocation information transmission unit 23.

The allocation information transmission unit 23 transmits the allocation information output from the allocation information acquisition unit 22 in step ST1002 to the interlocking recognition device 1 via the network (step ST1003).

As described above, the interlocking recognition device 1 recognizes the interlocking group of the outlet 300 that is interlocked and controlled according to the association between the outlet 300 and the remote controller 20 based on the allocation information transmitted from the control device 2. do. Further, the interlocking recognition device 1 is smaller than the address assigned to the child outlet for the child outlet not associated with the remote controller 20, and is the nearest parent of the address assigned to the child outlet. The outlet is recognized as the interlocking destination of the child outlet. As a result, the child outlet controlled in conjunction with the parent outlet can be recognized as the same interlocking group as the parent outlet.

In the conventional technique, in order to distinguish different groups of air conditioners controlled in conjunction with each other, it is necessary to provide an empty address between the groups.
For example, in the conventional technique, when two group ABs and CDs are made by four air conditioners a, b, c and d, the air conditioners a, b, c and d have "101" respectively. , "102", "104", "105" are assigned, and an address space is provided between the addresses of the air conditioner b and the air conditioner c.
In this method, even if the address space is uniquely defined, the number of terminals that can be connected differs depending on the group configuration. For example, if the address space is from the address "101" to the address "106", and the outlets 300 to which the addresses of the address space are assigned are all in the same group, the addresses of the address space are six outlets 300. Can be allocated to. However, for example, if it is desired to make all the outlets 300 to which the addresses in the address space are assigned into different groups, the addresses in the address space can be allocated only to the three outlets 300. That is, only about half of all the addresses in the address space can be allocated to the outlet 300.

On the other hand, since the interlocking recognition device 1 of the first embodiment can recognize the interlocking group of the outlet 300 according to the association between the outlet 300 and the remote controller 20, the administrator or the like can recognize the interlocking group of the outlet 300 in advance. When there are a plurality of outlets 300 to be interlocked and controlled when allocating addresses to the outlets 300, it is not necessary to provide a free address between the interlocking groups as in the conventional technique. Therefore, it is possible to use all the addresses in the address space, and it is possible to prevent the number of connectable outlets 300 from decreasing.

In the above-described first embodiment, the administrator or the like allocates the smallest address to one outlet 300 as a representative in advance, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the administrator or the like is a representative in advance. The largest address may be assigned to one outlet 300.
In this case, the recognition unit 14 is a parent outlet that is larger than the address assigned to the child outlet and is assigned the nearest address of the address allocated to the child outlet based on the allocation information. Is recognized as the interlocking destination of the child outlet.

Further, in the above-described first embodiment, in the interlocking recognition device 1, the parent specifying unit 13 sets the outlet 300 in which the associated remote controller 20 exists based on the allocation information output from the allocation information receiving unit 12. It was designed to be identified as an outlet (see steps ST603 and 604 in FIG. 6).
However, not limited to this, the parent specifying unit 13 specifies the parent outlet 300 in which the associated remote controller 20 exists as the parent outlet 300, and also identifies the parent outlet 300 based on other associations of the outlet 300. You may try to do it.
For example, the parent specifying unit 13 may use the outlet 300 to which the temperature sensor is associated as the parent outlet. As a result, the interlocking recognition device 1 can also recognize the measurement temperature interlocking group.
As with the association between the outlet 300 and the remote controller 20, the administrator or the like performs the association between the outlet 300 and the temperature sensor in advance, and the association information of the temperature sensor is also set in the allocation information.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an image of an example of an operation in which the interlocking recognition device 1 recognizes a measured temperature interlocking group based on the association between the outlet 300 and the temperature sensor in the first embodiment.
For example, as shown in FIG. 11, it is assumed that there are eight outlets 1 to 8 and a temperature sensor is connected to the outlets 1, 3, 5, and 7.
In this case, in the interlocking recognition device 1, the parent specifying unit 13 identifies the outlets 1, 3, 5, and 7 as the parent outlets, and the recognition unit 14 determines the outlets 1, 2, 3, 4, and outlets 1. The ports 5 and 6 and the outlets 7 and 8 are recognized as a measurement temperature interlocking group to be interlocked and controlled, respectively.

Further, in the first embodiment, the interlocking recognition device 1 can recognize the interlocking group based on the plurality of associations even when a plurality of associations are set in the outlet 300.
In FIG. 12, in the first embodiment, the interlocking recognition device 1 identifies a parent outlet according to whether or not an associated remote controller 20 is present and whether or not an associated temperature sensor is present. It is a figure which shows the image of an example of the operation which recognizes the interlocking group of a plurality of outlets 300 which are interlocked and controlled.

For example, as shown in FIG. 12, there are eight outlets 1 to 8, of which temperature sensors are connected to the outlets 1, 3, 5, and 7, and the remote controller 20 is connected to the outlets 1, 5, and 7. Is connected.
In this case, in the interlocking recognition device 1, the parent specifying unit 13 specifies the outlets 1, 3, 5, 7 as the parent outlets related to the temperature sensor, and the outlets 1, 5, 7 as the parent outlets related to the remote controller 20. Identify.
The recognition unit 14 recognizes that the outlets 1 and 2, the outlets 3 and 4, the outlets 5 and 6, and the outlets 7 and 8 are measurement temperature interlocking groups to be interlocked and controlled, respectively. .. Further, the recognition unit 14 is an interlocking group for outlet air control, in which the outlets 1, 2, 3 and 4, the outlets 5 and 6, and the outlets 7 and 8 should be controlled in conjunction with each other. Recognize that.
That is, the outlets 3 and 4 are not interlocked with the outlets 1 and 2 during the operation related to temperature measurement, and are controlled separately from the outlets 1 and 2, but are controlled separately from the outlets 1 and 2, but during the operation related to the outlet air control. , Will be controlled in conjunction with the outlets 1 and 2.

As described above, the interlocking recognition device 1 is not limited to the remote controller 20 associated with the outlet 300, and any device other than the remote controller 20 can be referred to as the outlet 300 as long as the device can determine the association with the outlet 300. The interlocking group can be recognized based on the association of.

In the above embodiment 1, the allocation information is used as equipment-related information, the administrator or the like sets the allocation information in advance, and the interlocking recognition device 1 is interlocked and controlled based on the allocation information. It was supposed to recognize the group. However, this is only an example, and the interlocking recognition device 1 can identify the parent and recognize the interlocking group by other methods. Hereinafter, another method in which the interlocking recognition device 1 identifies a parent and recognizes an interlocking group will be described with an example.
For example, information on whether or not the outlet 300 is connected to the remote controller 20 transmitted from the outlet 300 is used as equipment-related information, and the interlocking recognition device 1 identifies a parent based on the information and an interlocking group. May be recognized.
In this case, it is assumed that the remote controller 20 is connected to the main outlet with a cable in advance, and when the control device 2 receives the monitor command from the interlocking recognition device 1, is the remote controller 20 connected to itself by the cable? Try to reply with no information. Then, in the interlocking recognition device 1, the parent identification unit 13 identifies the outlet 300 including the control device 2 that has received the response that the remote controller 20 is connected as the parent outlet. After that, the operation of the recognition unit 14 for recognizing the interlocking group is the same as the content described above, so duplicate description is omitted (see step ST607 in FIG. 6).
In the response to the monitor command transmitted from the control device 2, the address of the outlet 300 provided with the control device 2 as the response source and the address of the remote controller 20 if there is a connected remote controller 20. Information is given.

Further, for example, the information of the switch indicating whether or not the user is the parent outlet, which is transmitted from the outlet 300, may be used as the equipment-related information.
In this case, it is assumed that each outlet 300 is provided with a switch indicating whether it is a parent outlet or a child outlet in advance, and the interlocking recognition device 1 is based on the information of the switch and is an interlocking group. Recognize.
Specifically, when the control device 2 receives the monitor command from the interlocking recognition device 1, the control device 2 returns the information of the switch provided in the control device 2. Then, in the interlocking recognition device 1, the parent identification unit 13 identifies the outlet 300 including the control device 2 whose switch information indicates the parent switch as the parent outlet. After that, the operation of the recognition unit 14 to recognize the interlocking group is the same as the content described above, and thus the duplicate description will be omitted.
The response to the monitor command transmitted from the control device 2 is provided with the information of the switch and the information of the address of the outlet 300 including the control device 2 which is the response source.

Further, the interlocking recognition device 1 does not specify whether or not it is the parent outlet from the information of the switch returned from the control device 2, but the control device 2 directly determines whether or not it is the parent outlet. You may reply with the information indicating that.
In this case, the administrator or the like writes in advance information to the effect that he / she is a parent in the control device 2 provided in the outlet 300 as the parent outlet.
Specifically, when the control device 2 receives the monitor command from the interlocking recognition device 1, if it holds the information that it is the parent, it returns the information. Then, in the interlocking recognition device 1, the parent specifying unit 13 identifies the outlet 300 provided with the control device 2 that has returned the information that it is the parent as the parent outlet. After that, the operation of the recognition unit 14 to recognize the interlocking group is the same as the content described above, and thus the duplicate description will be omitted.
The response to the monitor command transmitted from the control device 2 is provided with the information that the user is the parent and the information of the address of the outlet 300 provided with the control device 2 that is the response source. Further, for the outlet 300 to which the parent is not the parent, the control device 2 gives the monitor command from the interlocking recognition device 1 the information of the address of the outlet 300 provided with the control device 2 which is the response source. Reply information that you are not the parent.

Further, for example, an administrator or the like may assign an address to the remote controller 20 in advance, and the interlocking recognition device 1 may also send a monitor command to the remote controller 20 to recognize the interlocking group. ..
In this case, the interlocking recognition device 1 transmits a monitor command to the addresses assigned to the remote controller 20 and the outlet 300. Specifically, the interlocking recognition device 1 transmits a monitor command to the remote controller 20 and the control device 2 provided in the outlet 300.
Then, when the response to the monitor command is the response returned from the remote controller 20, the parent identification unit 13 of the interlocking recognition device 1 identifies the remote controller 20 as the parent, and sets the address of the remote controller 20 as the parent address. Try to identify. Then, the recognition unit 14 uses the address of the outlet 300 provided with the control device 2 as the child address in response to the response from the control device 2, and has a remote controller having the latest address smaller than the child's address. 20 is set as the interlocking destination of the outlet 300 having the address of the child, and the interlocking group is recognized.
The response to the monitor command transmitted from the remote controller 20 and the control device 2 is given information on the addresses of the remote controller 20 as the response source and the outlet 300 including the control device 2 as the response source. There is.
The above is an example on the premise that the remote controller 20 to be the interlocking destination is assigned an address smaller than the address of the outlet 300 to be interlocked and controlled. Not limited to this, for example, when the remote controller 20 to be linked is assigned an address larger than the address of the outlet 300 to be linked and controlled, the recognition unit 14 is larger than the child address. The remote controller 20 having the latest address is set as the interlocking destination of the outlet 300 having the address of the child, and the interlocking group is recognized.

In this way, the interlocking recognition device 1 can identify the parent and recognize the interlocking group by various methods.

Further, in the above embodiment 1, the interlocking recognition device 1 recognizes the interlocking group of the outlet 300 to be interlocked and controlled based on the information indicating the association between the address of the outlet 300 and the remote controller 20 or the temperature sensor. However, this is just an example. The interlocking recognition device 1 can recognize the interlocking group of the equipment in the facility based on the equipment-related information related to the equipment in the facility, such as the information related to the equipment in the facility and the equipment corresponding to the equipment. can.
The equipment is a variable air volume control facility for adjusting the air volume, such as a blower fan or an air conditioner, in addition to the outlet 300.
Further, the device is a setting device for making settings related to the operation of equipment such as a switch, a variable volume, or a receiver of the remote controller, in addition to the remote controller 20. Further, the device may be a detection device that performs detection related to the operation of the equipment, such as a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or a dust / dust sensor.
Further, in the above-described first embodiment, the control device 2 is provided in each outlet 300, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the server corresponds to each facility in the facility and each facility. The equipment-related information related to the equipment in the facility, such as the information associated with each device, is stored, and the interlocking recognition device 1 refers to the equipment-related information from the server via the network to recognize the interlocking group. May be done.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, when the smallest address is assigned to one representative facility among the facilities (outlet port 300) controlled in conjunction with each other in advance, the smallest address is assigned. Of the multiple equipment, the parent identification unit 13 that identifies the equipment in which the related device (remote control 20) exists as the parent equipment (parent outlet) based on the equipment-related information related to the plurality of equipment installed in the facility. For child equipment (child outlet) other than the parent equipment specified by the parent identification unit 13, the address that is smaller than the address assigned to the child equipment and is the closest to the address assigned to the child equipment is The allocated parent equipment is configured to include a recognition unit 14 that recognizes the interlocking destination of the child equipment. In addition, when the largest address is assigned to one representative facility among the facilities controlled in conjunction with each other in advance, based on the facility-related information related to a plurality of facilities installed in the facility, A parent specifying unit 13 that specifies the equipment in which the related device (remote control 20) exists as a parent equipment (parent outlet), and a child equipment (child outlet) other than the parent equipment specified by the parent specifying unit 13 among a plurality of equipments. For the mouth), the parent equipment that is larger than the address assigned to the child equipment and is assigned the nearest address to the address assigned to the child equipment is recognized as the interlocking destination of the child equipment. It is configured to include a recognition unit 14.
Therefore, it is possible to recognize the interlocking group of equipment that is interlocked and controlled.

In the present invention, within the scope of the invention, it is possible to modify any component of the embodiment or omit any component of the embodiment.

1 Interlocking recognition device 2 Control device 11 Command transmission unit 12 Allocation information reception unit 13 Parent identification unit 14 Recognition unit 20, 20a to 20d Remote control 21 Command reception unit 22 Allocation information acquisition unit 23 Allocation information transmission unit 24 Allocation information storage unit 100 Air conditioning Machine 200a-200d Room 300, 300a-300e Outlet 400 Chamber 500a-500e Duct

Claims (10)

Based on the equipment-related information related to multiple equipment installed in the facility, the parent identification department that identifies the equipment where the related equipment exists as the parent equipment, and
When the parent specifying unit specifies a plurality of parent equipment, the child equipment other than the plurality of parent equipment specified by the parent specifying unit is assigned to the child equipment among the plurality of equipment. The parent equipment that is smaller than the address and is assigned the nearest address of the address assigned to the child equipment is recognized as the interlocking destination of the child equipment from among the plurality of parent equipments, and the recognition result is displayed. An interlocking recognition device equipped with a recognition unit that generates the information to be shown. Based on the equipment-related information related to multiple equipment installed in the facility, the parent identification department that identifies the equipment where the related equipment exists as the parent equipment, and
When the parent specifying unit specifies a plurality of parent equipment, the child equipment other than the plurality of parent equipment specified by the parent specifying unit is assigned to the child equipment among the plurality of equipment. The parent equipment that is larger than the address and is assigned the nearest address of the address assigned to the child equipment is recognized as the interlocking destination of the child equipment from among the plurality of parent equipments, and the recognition result is displayed. An interlocking recognition device equipped with a recognition unit that generates the information to be shown. The equipment-related information is
The interlocking recognition device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the address assigned to the equipment and the information regarding the presence / absence of the equipment related to the equipment are linked to each other. The equipment-related information is
The interlocking recognition device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information is transmitted from the facility to indicate whether or not the facility is connected to the related device. The equipment-related information is
The interlocking recognition device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information is transmitted from the facility and indicates whether or not the device itself is the parent facility. The interlocking recognition device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the device is a setting device for making settings related to the operation of the equipment. One of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the device is a setting device for setting related to the operation of the equipment and a detection device for detecting the operation related to the operation of the equipment. The interlocking recognition device according to item 1. The interlocking recognition device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the equipment is a variable air volume control equipment that adjusts the air volume. A step in which the parent identification department identifies the equipment in which the related equipment exists as the parent equipment based on the equipment-related information related to multiple equipment installed in the facility.
When the parent identification unit specifies a plurality of parent equipment, the recognition unit attaches the child equipment other than the plurality of parent equipment specified by the parent identification unit to the child equipment among the plurality of equipment. The parent equipment that is smaller than the assigned address and is assigned the nearest address to the address assigned to the child equipment is recognized as the interlocking destination of the child equipment from among the plurality of parent equipments. , An interlocking recognition method with steps to generate information indicating the recognition result. A command transmitter that sends monitor commands to the control unit via the network,
An allocation information receiving unit that receives equipment-related information related to a plurality of facilities installed in the facility from the control device.
Based on the equipment-related information received by the allocation information receiving unit, the parent specifying unit that identifies the equipment in which the related device exists as the parent equipment, and
When the parent specifying unit specifies a plurality of parent equipment, the child equipment other than the plurality of parent equipment specified by the parent specifying unit is assigned to the child equipment among the plurality of equipment. The parent equipment that is smaller than the address and is assigned the nearest address of the address assigned to the child equipment is recognized as the interlocking destination of the child equipment from among the plurality of parent equipments, and the recognition result is displayed. An interlocking recognition device having a recognition unit that generates the information to be shown, and
An interlocking recognition system including a control device having an allocation information transmission unit that transmits the equipment-related information to the interlocking recognition device when the monitor command is received from the interlocking recognition device.

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