JPH05157334A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain air conditioner capable of regenerating connectivity restriction through a communication network even when a controller, in which connectivity restriction is stored, gets trouble. CONSTITUTION:A plurality of control blocks 3, 4, 5 connected to a communication network have controllers 6, 7, 8 and air conditioner units 9-24 respectively. The controllers 6, 7, 8 have control circuits having control programs, storage devices, in which connectivity restriction is stored, communication channels, etc., respectively. Connectivity restriction in its own control block 3 is stored in the controller 6 in the control block 3 while being also stored in the controllers 7, 8 of other control blocks 14, 5 as back-up data through the communication network. When connectivity restriction is broken by trouble, etc., backup data are read through the communication network from other control blocks 4, 5 and correct connectivity restriction is regenerated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner having a plurality of units such as air conditioners connected to a communication network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 shows an example of a system configuration diagram of a conventional refrigerating container having a communication network, which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-70967. In FIG. 7, 1 is a container central monitoring system including a control device, and 2 is a container.

Next, the operation will be described. A plurality of refrigerating containers 2 corresponding to each unit of the air conditioner and a container central monitoring system 1 including a control device are communicably connected to each other through a communication network. The container central monitoring device 1 is provided for each refrigeration container 2
The connection information of is stored.

[0004]

Since the air conditioner having the conventional communication network is configured as described above, when the control device for storing the connection information fails, the stored connection information is stored. There was a problem that the connection information was lost and the connection information had to be generated again after the restoration.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and even if the control device storing the connection information fails, the connection information can be easily reproduced without generating the connection information again. The object is to obtain an air conditioner capable of

[0006]

In the air conditioner according to the present invention, a plurality of control blocks composed of a plurality of outdoor units, indoor units, and a plurality of units such as a controller for controlling these units are the same. In an air conditioner configured to be connected by a communication network, each of the control blocks has a first non-volatile storage means for storing connection information for identifying each unit in the control block, and Second non-volatile storage means for storing connection information for identifying each unit in the control block, read / write means for reading / writing connection information in the first and second non-volatile storage means, and the communication A communication means for controlling the read / write means in another control block via the network to communicate the connection information, and the connection information in the block is controlled by the communication means. Then, it is determined whether or not the backup writing means for writing the backup information to the second non-volatile storage means in the other block and the connection information of the first non-volatile storage means in the block are destroyed. And the second non-volatile storage in another control block by controlling the communication means when it is determined that the connection information of the first non-volatile storage means in the block is destroyed. A means is provided for reading the backup information from the means and reproducing the connection information of the destroyed first non-volatile storage means.

A non-volatile common storage means for storing connection information for identifying each unit of each control block is connected to the communication network, and each control block includes Nonvolatile individual storage means for storing connection information for identifying each unit, read / write means for reading / writing connection information in the individual storage means, connection information between the read / write means of the control block and the common storage means Means for performing communication of the communication via the communication network, backup writing means for writing the connection information in the block as backup information to the common storage means by controlling the communication means, and the individual storage means in the block Determination means for determining whether or not the connection information of the When it is determined that the connection information of the separate storage means is destroyed, the communication means is controlled to read the backup information from the common storage means to reproduce the connection information of the destroyed individual storage means. May be.

[0008]

According to the air conditioner of the present invention, each control block has first non-volatile storage means for storing connection information of each unit in the control block, and connection information in other control blocks. And a read / write unit for reading and writing the connection information in the first and second non-volatile storage units. Therefore, when the connection information is written, the control is performed. While writing to the first non-volatile storage means in the block, the communication means controls the backup writing means in the other control block to store the backup information in the second non-volatile storage means of the other control block. Write it down.

Therefore, when the connection information is read, the determination means determines whether or not the connection information in the first nonvolatile storage means in the block is destroyed, and the stored connection information is destroyed. When the backup information is being controlled, the backup information stored in the second non-volatile storage means in the other control block is read out by controlling the communication means, so that the destroyed first information in the control block is read. The connection information of the non-volatile storage means is reproduced by the reproducing means.

Alternatively, each unit of each control block is provided with a non-volatile individual storage means for individually storing the connection information in the control block, and the backup information of each control block is stored in order to store the backup information. If the common storage means for collectively storing is connected to the communication network via the communication means, when it is determined that the connection information of the individual storage means in the block is destroyed, the communication means is Since the backup information stored in the common storage means under control can be read out, the destroyed connection information of the individual storage means is reproduced.

[0011]

【Example】

Example 1. Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numerals 3, 4 and 5 denote control devices 6, 7, 8 and air conditioner units 9 to 16 and 17, respectively.
To 24, which are connected to a communication network to form the air conditioner of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the details of the control devices 6, 7, and 8. As shown in FIG. 2, the control devices 6, 7,
8 includes a control circuit 25, a storage device 26 that stores connection information, a communication circuit 27, and an input / output circuit 28, respectively. The control circuit 25, as shown in FIGS.
It is provided with a control program as a read / write means, a backup writing means, a judging means, and a reproducing means.

In the air conditioner thus constructed, each control device 6, 7, 8 generates connection information with each unit in its own control block by the control program shown in FIG. Stores a backup of its connection information in the control device. In the control block 3, the control device 6 generates connection information with the units 9, 10, 11 and the units 17, 18, 19 and stores it in the storage device 26 of the control device 6 in the control block 3. At the same time, the communication circuit 27 transmits the same connection information as backup data to the control devices 7 and 8 of the other control blocks 4 and 5 via the communication network.

Controllers 7, 8 of the other control blocks 4, 5
Is a classification code indicating that the backup data is received via the communication circuit 27 in the control device, the control circuit 25 secures an unused area of the storage device 26 as the backup area 29, and the backup data is stored therein. The identification code of the control device 6 that is the transmission source of the backup data and the backup data are stored in association with each other. According to the control program shown in FIG. 4, during communication, the control device 6 refers to the connection information in its own storage device 26 to check an error in the information by a parity check or the like, but the connection information is destroyed due to a failure or the like. When it is determined that an error has occurred, a connection data backup data request signal is transmitted. The backup data request signal includes an identification code indicating the control device 6 that is the request source.

According to the control program shown in FIG. 5, another control device 7, which has received the backup data request signal,
In 8, the backup data of the request-source control device 6 is read from the backup area 29 in the own storage device 26 based on the identification code, and is transmitted via the communication circuit 27 and the communication network. As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 6 receiving the backup data reproduces the connection information in its own storage device 26 by the data. And
Communication with each unit is performed based on the reproduced connection information. Generation, storage, transmission of backup data, request of backup data, and reproduction of connection information in the control devices 7 and 8 are the same as in the control device 6.

In the above embodiment, the unused area backup area 29 of the storage device 26 is reserved to store the backup of the connection information. However, as shown in FIG. It may be a common backup area for the control devices 6, 7 and 8. As described above, when the independent storage device 30 is provided, it is possible to remove the storage device 30 from the communication network, which is effective for maintenance and inspection of the air conditioner such as management of connection information.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, the connection information of each unit in the control block is also stored in other control blocks as backup information, and the control block fails and its own storage means. If the connection information stored in step 1 is destroyed, the backup information stored in another control block can be read and the destroyed connection information can be reliably and easily reproduced. The effect of improving the maintainability and reliability of is obtained.

When the backup storage device is connected to the communication network independently of each control block, the backup storage device can be removed from the communication network. Therefore, management of connection information, maintenance and inspection of the air conditioner, etc. There is an effect that can be utilized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a control device of the air conditioner.

FIG. 3 is a schematic flowchart of a control program in the control device.

FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart of a control program in the control device.

FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart of a control program in the control device.

FIG. 6 is an overall configuration diagram of an air conditioner of Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an overall configuration diagram of a conventional air conditioner including a communication network.

[Explanation of symbols]

3, 4, 5 control block 6, 7, 8 control device 9-16 air conditioner unit 17-24 air conditioner unit 25 control circuit (reading / writing means, backup writing means, judgment means, reproducing means) 26 storage device (first Non-volatile storage means) 27 Communication circuit (communication means) 29 Backup area (second non-volatile storage means) 30 Storage device (common storage means)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An air conditioner in which a plurality of control blocks including a plurality of outdoor units, a plurality of indoor units, and a plurality of units such as a control device for controlling these units are connected by the same communication network. In the control block, first non-volatile storage means for storing connection information for identifying each unit in the control block,
Second non-volatile storage means for storing connection information for identifying each unit in another control block;
And a read / write means for reading / writing the connection information in the second nonvolatile storage means, a communication means for controlling the read / write means in another control block via the communication network to communicate the connection information, the block Backup writing means for writing the connection information in the block as backup information to the second non-volatile storage means in another block by controlling the communication means, and the connection of the first non-volatile storage means in the block. Judgment means for judging whether information is destroyed, and when it is judged that the connection information of the first nonvolatile storage means in the block is destroyed, the communication means is controlled to perform another control. The backup information is read from the second non-volatile storage means in the block and the connection information of the destroyed first non-volatile storage means is reproduced. An air conditioning apparatus characterized by comprising a reproducing means. 2. An air conditioner in which a plurality of control blocks including a plurality of outdoor units, a plurality of indoor units, and a plurality of units such as a control device for controlling these units are connected by the same communication network. In, while providing a non-volatile common storage means for storing connection information for identifying each unit of each control block is connected to the communication network, each control block, each unit in the control block Nonvolatile individual storage means for storing connection information for identification, read / write means for reading / writing connection information in the individual storage means, communication of connection information between the read / write means of the control block and the common storage means. Communication means for performing via the communication network, connection information in the block as backup information, the communication means Backup writing means for controlling the above to write to the common communication means, judging means for judging whether the connection information of the individual storage means in the block is destroyed, and connection information of the individual storage means in the block When it is determined that the connection information has been destroyed, the communication means is controlled to read the backup information from the common storage means to reproduce the connection information of the destroyed individual storage means. Air conditioner.