JPH07239146A - Centralized control equipment and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carry out an efficient data communication in conformity with a constructed system efficiency by a method wherein an indoor machine discriminates the kind of an outdoor machine and the presence or absence of a communication adaptor and changes a data form so as to execute the communication. CONSTITUTION:A cooling-heating system 1 is equipped with a main controller 2 controlling the whole of the system 1, a plurality of communication adaptors 3-1 to 3-3 connected to the main controller 2 through a main communication line LM and functioning as terminal processing control devices and groups UG of devices to be controlled which are connected to the communication adaptors 3-1 to 3-3 through sub-communication lines LS1, LS21, LS22, LS3 and LSB respectively. Each group UG of devices to be controlled is equipped with a plurality of indoor machines 22 and outdoor machines 22. The indoor machines 20 discriminate the outdoor machines 22 and the presence or absence of the communication adaptors 3-1 to 3-3 and change data forms in conformity with data communication forms of the communication adaptors 3-1 to 3-3 so as to execute communication.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a centralized control device,
In particular, it relates to a centralized control device for centrally controlling a plurality of air conditioners.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a common outdoor unit and a common main controller are provided, a plurality of indoor units are connected to a main controller via a communication line, and the main controller controls the entire system. There is an air-conditioning centralized control system in which a controller performs local control.

Such a centralized heating and cooling management system is advantageous in terms of cost and installation area as compared with the case where an outdoor unit and an indoor unit are individually provided in order to obtain the same cooling and heating capacity.

[0004]

However, in the conventional centralized heating and cooling management system described above, if the total number of indoor units increases, the processing of the main controller becomes enormous, and the processing efficiency of the entire system decreases. Occurs.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a plurality of indoor units are connected to a main controller via a sub-controller and a communication line, and the main controller controls the entire system and a sub-controller provided on each user side. There is a centralized heating / cooling management system for locally controlling the indoor unit connected to the sub-controller.

When an indoor unit connected to such a central heating and cooling management system is connected to the conventional central heating and cooling management system, a communication line is also used for a data portion required by a sub-controller which is not required in the system. Therefore, there is a problem that it is necessary to transmit it as invalid data via the communication, communication time increases and communication efficiency decreases.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve communication efficiency in the case of constructing a small-scale centralized heating and cooling management system without changing the device configuration, and in the case of constructing a large-scale centralized heating and cooling management system. Is to provide a centralized control device capable of easily constructing a system and improving communication efficiency.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first invention is to connect a controlled device group composed of a plurality of controlled devices to the controlled device group via a communication line. A management control device for controlling the controlled device group,
In the centralized control device provided with, each of the controlled devices,
Based on a determination result of the determination means for determining whether or not a terminal processing control device that locally controls the controlled device is connected between the management control device and the management control device, the terminal processing control device Is connected,
Data format changing means for changing the communication data format according to the data format of the terminal processing control device.

In a second aspect based on the first aspect, the data format changing means is a data format when the terminal processing control device is connected, and when the terminal processing control device is not connected. The data for the terminal processing control device is added to the data having the above.

In a third aspect based on the first or second aspect, a second controlled device group locally controlled by a local control device is connected to the centralized control device via the communication line. The data format changing means is configured to set the communication data format when the terminal processing control device is not connected, according to the model of the second controlled device group.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a controlled device group comprising a plurality of controlled devices, and a management control device which is connected to the controlled device group via a communication line and controls the controlled device group. In the control method of the centralized control device comprising :, it is determined whether or not a terminal processing control device that locally controls each controlled device is connected to the management control device, and based on the result of the determination. Then, when the terminal processing control device is connected, the communication data format is changed according to the data format of the terminal processing control device.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the discriminating means discriminates whether or not the terminal processing control device for controlling the controlled device locally is connected to the management control device.

When the terminal processing control device is connected, the data format changing means changes the communication data format according to the data format of the terminal processing control device when the terminal processing control device is connected.

Therefore, since the data format is changed depending on whether the terminal processing control device is connected or not, efficient data communication can be performed according to the system mode.

According to the second invention, the data format changing means converts the terminal processing into data having a data format when the terminal processing control device is not connected, when the terminal processing control device is connected. Since the data for the control unit is added, the data communication efficiency can be improved without unnecessarily increasing the data length when the terminal processing control unit is not connected.

According to the third invention, the data format changing means sets the communication data format when the terminal processing control device is not connected according to the model of the second controlled device group. Can be flexibly set according to the system, and the data communication efficiency can be improved.

According to the fourth invention, it is judged whether or not the terminal processing control device for locally controlling each controlled device is connected between the management control device and each controlled device,
Based on the result of this determination, when the terminal processing control device is connected, the communication data format is changed according to the data format of the terminal processing control device. Therefore, the data communication efficiency can be improved.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a centralized cooling and heating system.

The cooling / heating system 1 is roughly divided into a main controller 2 for controlling the entire system 1 and a terminal processing control connected to the main controller 2 via a two-line main communication line LM using a multiplex transmission system. A plurality of communication adapters 3-1 to 3-3 functioning as devices and a controlled device connected to each of the communication adapters 3-1 to 3-3 through a two-wire sub communication line similar to the main communication line. And a group UG.

Next, a mode of the controlled device group UG is shown in FIG.
Will be described with reference to.

There are various possible modes of the controlled device group UG, and one example thereof will be described below.

The sub-communication line L is connected to the first communication adapter 3-1.
A plurality of indoor units 20 as an apparatus to be controlled and an outdoor unit controller 21 are connected via S1, and further a plurality of outdoor units 22 are connected via an outdoor unit controller 21 as a local control unit.

A plurality of indoor units 20 and one outdoor unit 22 are connected to the second communication adapter 3-2 via the first sub communication line LS21.
Is connected to the first controlled device group, and the second controlled device group to which a plurality of indoor units 20 and one outdoor unit 22 are similarly connected is connected via the second sub communication line LS22. There is.

The sub communication line L is connected to the third communication adapter 3-3.
A plurality of indoor / outdoor unit sets 24 in which one outdoor unit is connected to one indoor unit 20 are connected via S3, and further, via a group control communication line GL which is a control line of one remote controller 25. Multiple indoor / outdoor unit set 26
Are connected.

Now, the configurations of the main controller 2, the communication adapter 3-1, and the communication adapter 3-2 will be described.

The main controller 2 includes a controller main body 2-1 in which a communication control board having a configuration substantially similar to that of a communication adapter described later, a control board (not shown) for performing various controls, and the like, various setting data, and A display unit 2-2 for displaying the operating state of the control device,
Printer 2-3 for printing out various data
And are provided.

The communication adapter 3-1 is, as shown in FIG.
A CPU 10 for controlling the communication adapter 3-1 as a whole, a ROM 11 for storing control programs, data, etc., a RAM 12 for temporarily storing various data, and an interface unit 13 for interfacing with the outside.
The CPU 10, the ROM 11, and the R
The AM 12 and the interface unit 13 are connected via a bus. Further, controlled devices U11 to U1n such as an indoor unit and an outdoor unit are connected via an interface section 13 and a sub communication line LS1. Other communication adapter 3
The same applies to -3.

The communication adapter 3-2, as shown in FIG. 3, is almost the same as the communication adapter 3-1.
A CPU 10 that controls the whole, a ROM 11 that stores a control program, data, etc., a RAM 12 that also functions as a data buffer and temporarily stores various data,
And an interface unit 13A that performs an interface operation with the outside.
ROM11, RAM12 and interface section 13A
And are connected via a bus. Further, the controlled devices U11 to U1n such as the indoor unit and the outdoor unit are connected via the interface unit 13A, the communication connection terminal T1 and the sub communication line LS21, and the controlled devices U21 to U2n are connected to the interface unit 13A and the communication unit. Connection terminal T2 and sub communication line LS22.

Next, the control system of the indoor unit will be described by taking the indoor unit 20 connected to the communication adapter 3-1 via the sub communication line LS1 as an example.

As shown in FIG. 4, the indoor unit 20 includes a CPU 30 for controlling the entire indoor unit 20, a control program,
A ROM 31, which stores data and the like, a RAM 32, which temporarily stores various data, and an interface section 33, which performs an interface operation with the outside, are configured to include a CPU 30, a ROM 31, a RAM 32, and an interface section 33. Are connected via a bus. Further, the communication adapter 3-1, the other indoor units 20, and the outdoor unit controller 21 are connected via the interface section 33 and the sub communication line LS1.

Next, the structure of the outdoor unit controller 21 will be described with reference to FIG.

The outdoor unit controller 21, as shown in FIG. 5, is a CPU 4 that controls the entire outdoor unit controller 21.
0, ROM storing control programs, data, etc.
41, a RAM 42 for temporarily storing various data,
And an interface section 43 that performs an interface operation with the outside.
The OM 41, the RAM 42, and the interface unit 43 are connected via a bus. Further, the communication adapter 3-1 and the indoor unit 20 are connected to each other via the interface section 33 and the sub communication line LS1.
2 is connected to the second sub communication line LSB.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic processing flowchart in the data communication processing of the CPU 30 of each indoor unit 20.

The data communication processing is roughly classified into an initialization communication processing (step S2) for confirming the system connection state and rebuilding the system when the power is turned on, and a regular communication processing (step S2) performed after the system rebuilding. Step S3).

When the power is turned on, the CPU 30 determines whether or not the initialization communication processing has already been completed (step S
1) If the initialization communication process is not completed yet,
Initialization communication processing is performed (step S2).

If it is determined in step S1 that the initialization communication process has already been completed, the process proceeds to the regular communication process (step S3).

Next, the initialization communication process will be described in detail with reference to FIG. In the following description, the outdoor unit 2
As modes of 0, an inverter model having a compressor that operates as an inverter, a rated model that performs rated operation, a gas engine heat pump model that has a gas engine heat pump (hereinafter referred to as GHP model), an inverter model, a rated model, and a GHP model. It is assumed that there is another model that does not belong to any of them.

Further, for simplification of description, only the controlled device group connected to the communication adapter 3-1 will be described.

First, the CPU 30 determines whether or not initialization (initial) communication data has been received from the outdoor unit controller 21 (step S10).

If the initialization communication data from the outdoor unit controller 21 has not been received yet, step S16
Then, the initialization communication process with the outdoor unit controller is performed.

In the determination of step S10, the CPU3
If it is determined that 0 has already received the initialization communication data from the outdoor unit controller 21, the communication adapter 3
It is determined whether or not the initialization communication data from -1 has been received, that is, whether or not a communication adapter as a terminal processing control device is connected to the system (step S11).

When the initialization communication data from the communication adapter 3-1 has not been received, it is considered that the communication adapter as the terminal processing control device is not connected, and the process proceeds to step S12.

On the other hand, when the initialization communication data from the communication adapter 3-1 is received, it is determined that the communication adapter as the terminal processing control device is connected, and the CPU
The CPU 30 sets the communication adapter existence flag in the RAM 12 (step S19) and shifts the processing to step S12.

Next, the CPU 30 controls the outdoor unit controller 2
1, it is determined whether the outdoor unit 22 connected to the outdoor unit controller 21 is an inverter model (step S12). If the outdoor unit 22 is an inverter model, the communication data format is changed. The setting is made to correspond to the inverter model (step S20), and the outdoor unit controller 21 is subjected to initialization communication processing in the communication data format corresponding to the inverter model (step S16).

If it is determined in step S12 that the connected outdoor unit 22 is not an inverter model,
It is determined whether the outdoor unit 22 connected to the outdoor unit controller 21 is a rated model via the outdoor unit controller 21 (step S13), and if the outdoor unit 22 is a rated model, communication is performed. The data format is set to correspond to the rated model (step S21), and the outdoor unit controller 21 is subjected to initialization communication processing in the communication data format corresponding to the rated model (step S16).

When the connected outdoor unit 22 is not the rated model in the determination in step S13, the outdoor unit 22 connected to the outdoor unit controller 21 via the outdoor unit controller 21 is the GHP model. Whether or not the outdoor unit 22 is a GHP model (step S14), the communication data format is set to one corresponding to the GHP model (step S15), and the outdoor unit controller 21 Initialization communication processing is performed in the communication data format corresponding to the GHP model (step S16).

If it is determined in step S14 that the connected outdoor unit 22 is not the GHP model, the outdoor unit 22 connected to the outdoor unit controller 21 is regarded as another model, and the communication data format is used. Is set to be compatible with another model (step S22), and the outdoor unit controller 21 is subjected to initialization communication processing in a communication data format corresponding to another model (step S16).

Next, the CPU 30 determines whether or not the initialization communication processing is completed (step S17), and if the initialization communication processing is not completed, the processing is again executed at step S1.
Move to.

If it is determined in step S17 that the initialization communication process has ended, the initialization communication process end flag of the RAM 32 is set (step S18), and the process returns to step S1.

Next, the regular communication process will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

In the regular communication process, first, the CPU 30
Is the outdoor unit 2 connected to the outdoor unit controller 21.
It is determined whether or not 2 is an inverter model (step S
20) If the outdoor unit 22 is an inverter model, the communication data format is set to one corresponding to the inverter model (step S23), and the process proceeds to step S27.

If it is determined in step S20 that the connected outdoor unit 22 is not an inverter model,
It is determined whether or not the outdoor unit 22 connected to the outdoor unit controller 21 is a rated model (step S21). If the outdoor unit 22 is a rated model, the communication data format corresponds to the rated model. Set to one (step S2
4), the process proceeds to step S27.

If it is determined in step S21 that the connected outdoor unit 22 is not a rated model, the outdoor unit 22 connected to the outdoor unit controller 21 is GHP.
It is determined whether or not it is a model (step S22), and when the outdoor unit 22 is a GHP model, the communication data format is set to one corresponding to the GHP model (step S2).
5), the process proceeds to step S27.

If it is determined in step S22 that the connected outdoor unit 22 is not a GHP model, the outdoor unit 22 connected to the outdoor unit controller 21 is considered to be another model, and the communication data format is used. Is set to correspond to another model (step S22), and the process proceeds to step S27.

Subsequently, the CPU 30 determines whether or not the communication adapter presence flag is set by referring to the predetermined area of the RAM 32 (step S2).
7).

If the communication adapter present flag is not set, the communication adapter is not connected to the system, and therefore, as shown in FIG. 9A, step S
The regular communication process is performed using the data in the communication data format set in any of 23 to step S26 as it is (step S28).

If it is determined in step S27 that the communication adapter presence flag is not set, the communication adapter for the system (in this case, communication adapter 3-1).
9 is connected, the data for the communication adapter is added to the data in the communication data format set in any of step S23 to step S26 to perform the regular communication process, as shown in FIG. 9B. (Step S29).

As described above, according to this embodiment, each indoor unit can determine the model of the outdoor unit and the presence / absence of a communication adapter, change the data format, and perform communication. The data communication process can be performed in the optimum data format for the system, and unnecessary dummy data or the like need not be transmitted, so that the communication efficiency can be improved.

Further, even when constructing a large-scale system, the system can be constructed without much consideration of the communication data format, and the system construction becomes easy.

[0062]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the discriminating means discriminates whether or not a terminal processing control device for locally controlling the controlled device is connected between the management control device and the management control device. The format change means, based on this determination result,
When the terminal processing control device is connected, the communication data format is changed according to the data format of the terminal processing control device. Combined and efficient data communication can be performed.

According to the second invention, the data format changing means converts the terminal processing into the data having the data format when the terminal processing control device is not connected, when the terminal processing control device is connected. Since the data for the control device is added, the data length can be shortened and the data communication efficiency can be improved when the terminal processing control device is not connected.

According to the third invention, the data format changing means sets the communication data format when the terminal processing control device is not connected according to the model of the second controlled device group. Can be set more flexibly according to the system, and the data communication efficiency can be further improved.

According to the fourth invention, it is judged whether or not the terminal processing control device for locally controlling each controlled device is connected between the management control device and each controlled device,
Based on the result of this determination, if the terminal processing control device is connected, the communication data format is changed according to the data format of the terminal processing control device. Therefore, it is possible to construct a system without paying much attention to the data format and improve the data communication efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioning system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a communication adapter.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of another communication adapter.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control system of the indoor unit.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an outdoor unit controller.

FIG. 6 is an outline processing flowchart of communication processing.

FIG. 7 is a processing flowchart of initialization communication processing.

FIG. 8 is a processing flowchart of regular communication processing.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a data format.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Air Conditioning System 2 Main Controller 2-1 Controller Main Body 2-2 Display Unit 2-3 Printer 3-1 to 3-3 Communication Adapter 10, 30, 40 CPU 11, 31, 41 ROM 12, 32, 42 Nonvolatile RAM 13 , 13A, 33, 43 Interface unit 20 Indoor unit 21 Outdoor unit controller 22 Outdoor unit 23 Outdoor unit 24 Outdoor unit set 25 Remote controller 26 Indoor unit set LM Main communication line LS1, LS21, LS22, LS3, LSB Sub communication line T1, T2 communication connection terminal UG Controlled device group U11 to U1n, U21 to U2n Controlled device

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A controlled device group comprising a plurality of controlled devices, and a management control device which is connected to the controlled device group via a communication line and controls the controlled device group. In the centralized control device, each of the controlled devices determines whether or not a terminal processing control device that locally controls the controlled device is connected to the management control device; Based on the result of the determination, if the terminal processing control device is connected, a data format changing means for changing the communication data format according to the data format of the terminal processing control device, A centralized control device. 2. The centralized control device according to claim 1, wherein the data format changing means is a data format when the terminal processing control device is connected, when the terminal processing control device is not connected. A centralized control device, wherein data for the terminal processing control device is added to the data having the following. 3. The centralized control device according to claim 1, wherein a second controlled device group locally controlled by a local control device is connected to the centralized control device via the communication line. The data format changing means sets a communication data format when the terminal processing control device is not connected according to the model of the second controlled device group. 4. A controlled device group including a plurality of controlled devices, and a management control device that is connected to the controlled device group via a communication line and controls the controlled device group. In a control method for a centralized control device, it is determined whether or not a terminal processing control device that locally controls each controlled device is connected to the management control device, and based on the result of the determination, the terminal A control method for a centralized control device, wherein when a processing control device is connected, the communication data format is changed according to the data format of the terminal processing control device.