JPH07208793A - Remote monitor for air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a low-cost remote monitor in which a management cost is reduced. CONSTITUTION:The remote monitor for an air conditioner comprises a microcomputer gas meter 4 having a telegram format and a communication interface for measuring a fuel supply amount and outputting a measured value to a communication line, a monitor terminal unit 2 having a telegram format and a communication interface inputting drive information of the conditioner 1 from the conditioner to output the information or an abnormal state, etc., obtained from the information to the communication line, and a communication unit 3 for a telephone channel connected to the unit 2 and the meter 4 via the communication line. The telegram format and the interface of the meter 4 are made equal to those of the unit 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote monitoring device for an air conditioner that monitors the operating state of an air conditioner such as an absorption refrigerator or an engine driven air conditioner and sends a signal to a telephone line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 58-106348 discloses a terminal device and a sub controller, and a main controller for transmitting and receiving data. The sub controller is a plurality of terminal control devices and a main controller. Control of an air conditioner that relays data transmission / reception with and includes a transmission line connecting the main controller and each sub controller, and a transmission line connecting the sub controller and each terminal controller. A device is disclosed.

In this type of control device, a remote monitoring device having a structure as shown in FIG. 5 is well known. In this remote monitoring device, for example, the microcomputer gas meter 4 is used as a measuring instrument connected to the control panel 1A of the air conditioner 1 using gas.
Is connected via a communication line 12 to a telephone line communication device 3 equipped with a communication modem (not shown). Then, for example, when there is a request from a management center (not shown) of a gas company or at regular intervals, the amount of gas supplied to the air conditioner 1 is communicated via the communication line 12 to the telephone line communication device 3 equipped with a communication modem. To the control center (not shown) of the gas company via the public telephone line 21 from the communication device 3. Further, the telephone 5 installed in, for example, the control room of the air conditioner 1 is connected to the telephone line communication device 3 via the telephone line 24.

In order to monitor the operating condition of the air conditioner 1, a monitoring terminal 2 equipped with a communication modem (not shown) is connected to the control panel 1A of the air conditioner 1 via the communication line 11. The information obtained by the monitoring terminal 2 is sent to the management center via a public telephone line 23 different from the public telephone line 21. The status of each part of the air conditioner 1, such as temperature or pressure, operating time, abnormality, etc., is sent from the monitoring terminal 2 to the management center via the telephone line 23.

[0005]

In the prior art as described above, the terminal monitor 2 is independent of the communication system for metering the gas supply amount, and the telephone line communication device 3 is provided.
Not only does the monitoring terminal 2 have a communication modem, and the communication system has two communication systems, the cost increases, but also the usage fee of the public telephone line increases and the management cost also increases. Occur. Furthermore, the monitoring terminal 3
Since it is directly connected to the telephone line, there is a problem that the terminal must be certified.

The present invention is intended to reduce the cost of the monitoring device itself and the management cost, and further provide a remote monitoring device which can be easily installed.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an air conditioner which uses combustion heat of gas or the like as a high temperature heat source or a driving force source according to the invention of claim 1. In the remote monitoring device, a microcomputer gas meter 4 having a communication interface 35 and a telegram format for measuring the fuel supply amount and outputting the measured value to a communication line.
And a monitoring terminal having a telegram format and a communication interface 35 for inputting operation information of the air conditioner 1 from the air conditioner, detecting this information or an abnormal state obtained from this information, and outputting it to a communication line. 2 and the monitoring terminal 2 and the microcomputer gas meter 4 are connected via a communication line, and the telephone line communication device 3 is connected to the public telephone line 21. The electronic message format provided in the microcomputer gas meter 4 and A remote monitoring device for an air conditioner in which a communication interface and a message format provided in the monitoring terminal 2 and a communication interface are the same.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 2, a microcomputer gas meter 4 provided with a communication protocol for measuring a fuel supply amount and outputting the measured value to a communication line,
A monitoring terminal equipped with a communication protocol that is the same as the communication protocol of the measuring instrument in order to input the operation information of the air conditioner from the air conditioner and detect this information or an abnormal state obtained from this information and output it to the communication line. 2. The remote monitoring device for an air conditioner is provided, which comprises a telephone line communication device 3 in which the monitoring terminal and the microcomputer gas meter 4 are connected via a communication line and is connected to a public telephone line.

[0009]

According to the invention of claim 1, since the monitoring terminal 2 and the microcomputer gas meter 4 are provided with the same electronic message format and the same communication interface 35,
By connecting the monitoring terminal 2 and the microcomputer gas meter 4 to one communication device 3 via a communication line, it becomes possible to use one communication device 3 in common, and the monitoring terminal 2 and the communication device 3 It is not necessary to provide a communication modem or the like on both sides as in the conventional case, and only one communication system is required, and an inexpensive remote monitoring device can be provided, and the communication system uses a telephone line 21.
Since only one line is required, it will be possible to reduce management fees such as line usage fees.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the communication protocol of the monitoring terminal 2 and the microcomputer gas meter 4 is the same, and the message format and the signal level output from the monitoring terminal 2 and the microcomputer gas meter 4 are the same. It becomes possible to connect the monitoring terminal 2 and the microcomputer gas meter 4 to the communication device 3 of 1 through a communication line, and to use one communication device 3 in common.
It is not necessary to provide a communication modem or the like on both sides as in the conventional case, and only one communication system is required, an inexpensive remote monitoring device can be provided, and the communication system is a telephone line 21.
It is possible to use the line, and it is possible to reduce the management fee such as line usage fee.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the examples without departing from the spirit of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a remote monitoring apparatus of the present invention. In this figure,
Those having the same functions as those shown in FIG. 4 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Reference numeral 1 is an air conditioner comprising a gas engine driven heat pump or an absorption refrigerator using gas as fuel. The monitoring terminal 2 connected to the control panel 1A of the air conditioner 1 by three communication lines 11 has two communication lines 13
It is connected to a telephone line communication device (hereinafter, referred to as a communication device) 3 via. The monitoring terminal 2 is composed of a microcomputer. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 31 is an interface for inputting a signal from the air conditioner 1 side, for example, an interface conforming to the RS-232C standard, and 32 is an interface 31.
A conversion interface for converting a serial signal input from the CPU into a parallel signal and outputting the parallel signal to a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as a CPU) 33 and converting a parallel signal input from the CPU 33 into a serial signal and outputting the serial signal to the interface 31, A program for creating the message format based on the message format shown in FIG. 3 and the operation information input from the air conditioner 1 side when the signal is output from the monitoring terminal 2 to the communication device 3, the operation information A storage device (hereinafter referred to as a ROM) in which set values for determining an abnormality from the air conditioner 1 are stored.
Readable and erasable storage device (hereinafter referred to as the first information storage device) that stores operation information input from
RAM).

Further, 36 is a system clock, 37 is a timer for outputting a signal at a predetermined time, 38 is a parallel signal input from the CPU 33 is converted into a serial signal and is output, and an input serial signal is converted into a parallel signal. Is an output interface for converting to a conversion interface for outputting to the CPU 33 and outputting a control signal to the fuel control valve 27. Further, 39 is a communication interface such as the equivalent circuit shown in FIG.
In FIG. 3, 41, 42 and 43 are resistors, 44 is a first switch and 45 is a second switch.
A signal output from the monitoring terminal 2 is formed by N and OFF.

The microcomputer gas meter 4 also has a communication interface 39 similar to that of the monitoring terminal 2 as shown in FIG. 2, and the microcomputer gas meter 4 has a CPU 46,
The ROM 47 and the RAM 48 are provided. And R
In order to create the above-mentioned electronic message format in the OM 47, for example, based on the electronic message format and the detection value as shown in FIG. 3 when a signal is output from the microcomputer gas meter 4 to the communication device 3 and the model of the air conditioner 1 and the like. The program is stored. Further, the output unit 32 is provided with a communication interface 39 which is the equivalent circuit shown in FIG.

In the above remote monitoring device, a request signal from, for example, the management center of a gas company is sent to the public telephone line 21,
When sent to the microcomputer gas meter 4 via the communication device 3 and the communication line 12 or at every preset time, a message format is created by the microcomputer gas meter 4 based on, for example, a gas supply amount or a gas flow rate in a predetermined period. Then, a signal is output from the communication interface 39 and sent to the management center via the communication device 3 and the public telephone line 21.

In the monitoring terminal 2, the CPU 33
When the operation information input from the side of the air conditioner 1 is compared and calculated with a preset value, and it is determined that an abnormality has occurred, a message format is appropriately created according to the state of the abnormality. And a signal is output from the communication interface 39. This signal is transmitted via the communication line 13 to the communication device 3
Since the message format is the same as that of the microcomputer gas meter 4 and the communication interface is the same and the signal level is the same, the communication device 3 inputs the signal in the same manner as the signal from the microcomputer gas meter 4, performs signal processing, and outputs abnormal information to the public telephone. It is sent to the management center via the line 21.

Further, when the management center outputs a request signal for operating information of the air conditioner 1 (in the case where the air conditioner is, for example, an engine-driven air conditioner, the accumulated time after the engine oil change or the cooling water temperature). This signal is sent to the monitoring terminal 2 via the public telephone line 21, the communication device 3 and the communication line 13. In the monitoring terminal 2, a telegram format such as the accumulated time corresponding to the request signal is created, and the operation information is sent to the management center in the same manner as the abnormality information.
Can respond to requests from the management center.

Further, for example, the manager of the air conditioner 1 uses the telephone 5 installed in the management room and uses the public telephone line 21 through the communication device 3 to talk with the management center. According to the above-described embodiment, the same message format is stored in the storage unit 33 of the monitoring terminal 2 and the storage unit 43 of the microcomputer gas meter 4, and the same communication interface 35 is provided in each output unit 32. Since the communication protocols of the monitoring terminal 2 and the microcomputer gas meter 4 are the same, the monitoring terminal 2 and the microcomputer gas meter 4 are connected to one communication device 3 via a communication line, and one communication device 3 is commonly used. As a result, it is not necessary to provide a communication modem or the like in both the monitoring terminal 2 and the communication device 3 as in the conventional case, and only one communication system is required, and an inexpensive remote monitoring device is provided. be able to.

Further, since only one telephone line 21 of the communication system is required, it is possible to reduce the management fee such as the line usage fee.

[0020]

The present invention is a remote monitoring device for an air conditioner configured as in the above embodiment. According to the remote monitoring device for an air conditioner according to claim 1, the fuel supply amount is measured. Since the measuring instrument and the monitoring terminal of the air conditioner have the same telegram format and communication interface, the monitoring terminal and the measuring instrument are connected to one communication device via a communication line, and one communication device is connected. Since the devices can be used in common, as a result, it is not necessary to provide a communication modem or the like in both the monitoring terminal and the communication device as in the conventional case, and only one communication system is required, and an inexpensive remote monitoring device can be provided. Can be provided. In addition, since the communication system requires only one telephone line, it is possible to reduce management costs such as line usage fees.

According to the remote monitoring device for an air conditioner according to a second aspect of the present invention, a measuring instrument that measures the fuel supply amount and outputs the measured value to the communication line, and the operation information of the air conditioner are air conditioners. It is equipped with a communication protocol that is the same as the monitoring terminal that inputs from the device and detects this information or an abnormal condition obtained from this information and outputs it to the communication line.This monitoring terminal and the measuring instrument connect the communication line. Since it is connected to the telephone line communication device via one, one communication device can be commonly used, and as a result, a communication modem or the like is provided in both the monitoring terminal and the communication device as in the conventional case. There is no need, and only one communication system is required, and an inexpensive remote monitoring device can be provided. In addition, since the communication system requires only one telephone line, it is possible to reduce management costs such as line usage fees.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a remote monitoring device for an air conditioner showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a monitoring terminal.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a message format.

FIG. 4 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a communication interface.

FIG. 5 is a block configuration diagram of a conventional air conditioner remote monitoring device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Air conditioner 2 Monitoring terminal 3 Communication device for telephone line 4 Microcomputer gas meter 11 Communication line 12 Communication line 13 Communication line 21 Public telephone line 39 Communication interface

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A telegram format and communication for measuring a fuel supply amount and outputting the measured value to a communication line in a remote monitoring device of an air conditioner that uses combustion heat of gas or the like as a high temperature heat source or a driving force source. A measuring instrument equipped with an interface, a telegram format and a communication interface for inputting operation information of the air conditioner from the air conditioner and outputting this information or an abnormal state obtained from this information to a communication line A monitoring terminal and a telephone line communication device in which the monitoring terminal and the measuring instrument are connected via a communication line and which is connected to a public telephone line, and a telegram format and a communication interface provided in the measuring instrument A remote monitoring device for an air conditioner, characterized in that the message format and communication interface provided in the monitoring terminal are the same. 2. A remote monitoring device for an air conditioner that uses combustion heat of a gas or the like as a high temperature heat source or a driving force source, including a communication protocol for measuring a fuel supply amount and outputting the measured value to a communication line. Monitoring with a communication protocol equal to the communication protocol of the measuring instrument in order to input the operating information of the measuring instrument and the air conditioner from the air conditioner and output this information or an abnormal state obtained from this information to the communication line. A remote monitoring device for an air conditioner, comprising: a terminal; and a communication device for a telephone line, which is connected to a public telephone line by connecting the monitoring terminal and the measuring instrument via a communication line.