JPH07180890A - Communication apparatus for air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve executability by selecting a connecting state matched to installing conditions of respective units. CONSTITUTION:A communication apparatus 4 connected to communication lines 1, 2, 3 is provided in a control circuit of an outdoor unit 101 of an air conditioner. A master unit communication apparatus 6 connected to the line 1 and a slave unit communication apparatus 8 connected to a communication line 7 are provided in a control circuit of a first indoor unit 103. Address setting means 9 is provided in the apparatus 6. A master unit communication apparatus 6, a slave unit communication apparatus 8 and address setting means 9 are provided similarly in each of control circuits of a second indoor unit 107 and a third indoor unit 111.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication device for an air conditioner separated into a plurality of parts.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, it has been required to reduce the number of man-hours for installation work of a separation type air conditioner.

Conventionally, as a connection form of communication lines of this type of air conditioner, a structure as shown in FIG. 4 has been generally used. The configuration will be described below with reference to FIG.

As shown in the figure, the communication device 102 of the outdoor unit 101 and the communication device 104 of the first indoor unit 103 are connected by a communication line 105, and the communication device 106 of the outdoor unit 101 and the second indoor unit 107 are connected. The communication device 108 is connected by a communication line 109, and the communication device 110 of the outdoor unit 101 and the third indoor unit 11 are connected.
The first communication device 112 is connected by the communication line 113.

In the above structure, the communication device 102 in the control circuit of the outdoor unit 101 and the communication device 104 of the first indoor unit 103 communicate with each other through the communication line 105, and similarly, the communication in the control circuit of the outdoor unit 101. The device 106 and the communication device 108 of the second indoor unit 107 communicate with each other through the communication line 109, and the communication device 1 in the control circuit of the outdoor unit 101.
10 and the communication device 112 of the third indoor unit 111 is the communication line 1
I was communicating through 13.

Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-63446 discloses that
A configuration has been proposed in which a relay control circuit for controlling whether or not to transmit the transmitted data to another air conditioner is provided.

[0007]

In such a conventional air conditioner communication device, the communication line 105, the communication line 109, and the communication line 113 are necessarily required when wiring the three indoor units. For example, even when the first indoor unit 103 and the second indoor unit 107 are installed in the same room, two systems of communication lines from the outdoor unit 101 to the communication line 105 and the communication line 109 are required, and the man-hours for wiring work are increased. There was a problem that was increased.

The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and by making it possible to select the signal line connection form between each device, it is possible to reduce the number of steps for the wiring work, and the communication device of the air conditioner. The first purpose is to provide.

A second object is to eliminate the need for address setting work during installation work, reduce the number of installation works, and eliminate human error.

[0010]

In order to achieve the first object of the communication device for an air conditioner of the present invention, the first means is provided with an outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor units separated from each other. An air conditioner, a communication device having a means for connecting to a plurality of indoor units provided in an outdoor unit, a host device communication means for communicating with a host device in a control circuit of each indoor unit, and a communication with a lower device And a communication device provided with an address setting means in the upper device communication means.

In order to achieve the second object, the second
Means for providing an address command means provided in the communication device of the outdoor unit, an upper device communication means provided in the communication device of the indoor unit with an address determining means, and a lower device communication means provided with the address command means, To do.

[0012]

The present invention has the structure of the above-mentioned first means.
Since the communication between the outdoor unit and the second indoor unit can be performed via the first indoor unit, the signal line connecting the outdoor unit and the second indoor unit can be eliminated.

The configuration of the second means can eliminate the need for address setting work during installation work.

[0014]

【Example】

(Embodiment 1) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The same reference numerals as those used in the conventional example indicate the same items, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in the figure, the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioner
Communication line 1, communication line 2, and communication line 3 in the control circuit of 1.
A communication device 4 for connecting with the first indoor unit 1 is provided.
An upper device communication device 6 connected to the communication line 1 and a lower device communication device 8 connected to the communication line 7 are provided in the control circuit 03. Further, the host device communication device 6 is provided with an address setting means 9. Second indoor unit 107, third indoor unit 11
Similarly, 1 has a configuration in which a higher-order device communication device 6, a lower-order device communication device 8 and an address setting means 9 are provided in the control circuit.

With the above construction, a unique address number is given to each indoor unit 103, 107, 111 by the address setting means 9 during installation work. The outdoor unit 101 is the communication line 1
By inquiring about the address number connected through the communication line 2 and the communication line 3
The connection state of 7, 111 can be recognized. For example, the address number of the first indoor unit 103 is A, the address number of the second indoor unit 107 is B, and the address number of the third indoor unit 111 is C. The outdoor unit 101 inquires through the communication lines 1, 2, and 3 about the connection state of the indoor unit with the address number A, so that the indoor unit 103 with the address number A
Can recognize that it is connected to the communication line 1. Similarly, the outdoor unit 101 makes an inquiry through the communication lines 1, 2, and 3 in order to recognize that the indoor unit 107 with the address number B is connected. At this time, communication line 1
Since the first indoor unit 103, which has received the inquiry about the address number B through its own address, is different from its own address, by further inquiring the second indoor unit 107 through the communication line 7 by the lower device communication means 8, the address number B becomes Recognize that it is connected. Therefore, the outdoor unit 10
1 can recognize that the indoor unit 107 with the address number B is connected to the lower order of the communication line 1 through the first indoor unit 103. By the same method, it is recognized that the indoor unit 111 with the address number C is connected to the communication line 2. After recognizing the connection state of the indoor unit, the outdoor unit 101
Transmits the communication data in which the address number is added to the communication data. When the outdoor unit 101 communicates with the first indoor unit 103, communication is performed through the communication line 1. Outdoor unit 10
1 communicates with the second indoor unit 107, the communication line 1
Through the first indoor unit 103. The first indoor unit 10 that has received the communication data for the second indoor unit 107
The upper device communication device 6 of No. 3 delivers the communication data as it is to the lower device communication device 8 and transmits it to the second indoor unit 107 through the communication line 7. That is, in order for the outdoor unit 101 and the second indoor unit 107 to communicate with each other, the communication can be performed via the first indoor unit 103. The outdoor unit 101 can communicate with the third indoor unit 111 through the communication line 2.

Also, the three indoor units 103, 107, 11
When installing 1 in the same room, the second indoor unit 107
The third indoor unit 111 and the third indoor unit 111 can be connected by the communication line 10 as shown in FIG.

As described above, according to the communication device of the air conditioner of the first embodiment of the present invention, the connection form of each device can be selected.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same reference numerals as those used in the first embodiment denote the same items, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in the figure, the outdoor unit 101 is provided with the address command means 20, the upper device communication device 6 of the first indoor unit 103 is connected with the address determination device 21, and the lower device communication device 8 is connected. , The address command means 22 is connected. Similarly, in the second indoor unit 107 and the third indoor unit 111, the host device communication device 6 and the address determining means 21, the lower device communication device 8 and the address commanding device 22 are included in the control circuit.
Is provided.

With the above structure, the outdoor unit 101 transmits the address command A from the communication device 4 through the communication line 1 by the address command means 20. Received address command A,
The host device communication apparatus 6 of the first indoor unit 103 determines its own address as the address A by the address determining means 21. Next, the address command means 2 of the first indoor unit 103
2 means that the address A means that it is a lower address of the address A from the lower device communication device 8 through the communication line 7.
-Send A. The host device communication apparatus 6 of the second indoor unit 107 which has received the address AA is the address determination means 2
1 determines the self address as address AA. Since no device is connected to the lower device communication device 8 of the second indoor unit 107, no address command is transmitted. Similarly, the outdoor unit 101 transmits the address command B from the communication device 4 through the communication line 2 by the address command means 20.
Upon receiving the address command B, the host device communication device 6 of the third indoor unit 111 determines its own address as the address B by the address determining means 21. As described above, a unique address number can be automatically given to each device.

As described above, according to the communication device of the air conditioner of the second embodiment of the present invention, the address setting work at the time of construction can be made unnecessary.

[0023]

As is apparent from the above embodiments, according to the present invention, the host equipment communication device and the subordinate equipment communication device are provided in the air conditioner in which the outdoor unit and the plurality of indoor units are provided separately. Therefore, it is possible to provide a communication device for an air conditioner in which a connection form can be selected according to the installation state of equipment and the number of work steps at the time of construction can be reduced.

Further, since the address commanding means and the address determining means are provided, the address setting work at the time of construction becomes unnecessary, the man-hour of the installation work can be reduced, and the human error can be prevented in advance. The communication device can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a connection form of a communication device for an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a form in which three indoor units are continuously connected in the communication device for an air conditioner of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a connection form of the second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a connection form of a communication device of an air conditioner of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Communication Device 6 Upper Device Communication Device 8 Lower Device Communication Device 9 Address Setting Means 20 Address Commanding Means 21 Address Determining Means 22 Address Commanding Means 101 Outdoor Units 103 First Indoor Units 107 Second Indoor Units 111 Third Indoor Units

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An air conditioner in which an outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor units are provided separately, a communication device including means for connecting to the plurality of indoor units provided in the outdoor unit, and a control circuit in each indoor unit. A communication device for an air conditioner, comprising: a higher device communication means for communicating with a higher device; and a lower device communication means for communicating with a lower device, wherein the upper device communication means is provided with a communication device having an address setting means. . 2. An address command means provided in a communication device of an outdoor unit, an upper device communication means provided in an indoor device communication device with an address determining means, and an address command means provided in a lower device communication means. Item 1. An air conditioner communication device according to item 1.