JPH10187476A - Test mode switching method for electric equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a test mode switching method with which any port dedicated to mode switching is not required for a microcomputer and a user can not easily perform mode switching. SOLUTION: Concerning electric equipment provided with an ordinary operating mode and a test mode for executing various tests at the time of production, the relevant mode is switched by the key operation of remote controller or operating part, this key operation is provided with plural kinds of combination of switching conditions and permission conditions in multistage manner and when these switching conditions and permission conditions are not inputted within prescribed time, the cancel of mode switching is judged.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for switching a test mode of an electric device equipped with a microcomputer, and particularly to a normal operation and a test mode.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electric device is provided with an operation mode called a test mode in addition to a normal operation mode. That is, for example, taking an air conditioner as an example, the normal operation mode is a mode in which air-conditioning-related operations such as cooling, heating, and dehumidification are performed, and a user (consumer) directly implements a desired operation operation. is there. On the other hand, the test mode is mainly used in the production of control boards, and is used to check whether the display unit is performing the display operation properly in accordance with the operation sequence, and whether the drive signal to the fan motor is output normally. Are you
It refers to a mode provided for the producer to check whether a desired driving operation is being performed in response to the equal driving command.

Conventionally, this test mode uses a part of a port of a microcomputer for controlling the operation of equipment, and the mode is shifted by a manufacturer directly operating a control board to switch to the test mode. As another means, for the test mode, the port of the microcomputer is not used, but the port for key operation of the remote control or the operation unit is used, for example, by a special key operation such as pressing a key button for several seconds or more And a method of inputting a test mode switching signal to a key operation port.

In any of the above test mode transitions, the mode switching is performed by the producer at the time of production (before product shipment), and after performing each test, the test mode is released and the product is shipped to the market.

[0005]

The means for switching to the test mode mainly uses the above two methods, but each of them has the following problems. First, when assigning some of the ports of the microcomputer to the test mode, the mode switching itself is performed on the control board, so there is no danger that the user will accidentally enter the test mode due to key operation etc. during use, As described above, at least one port of the microcomputer is occupied in the configuration.
Operation control by a microcomputer is indispensable for realizing complicated operation such as electric equipment, especially air conditioners and air conditioners in recent years, and even one piece of information is required to manage such control. Must be communicated with a microcomputer, and it is difficult to prepare a test mode port used only during production as described above.

In order to solve the above problems, a method is used in which a port for key operation (information) of a remote controller or an operation unit also serves as a switch port for a test mode. The mode is switched to the test mode by such a simple key operation, and the user easily realizes the mode transition, so that the user cannot return to the normal mode. In addition, since the operation is performed differently from the normal operation mode, it may cause a failure in some cases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a test mode switching method which does not require a dedicated port for mode switching in a microcomputer and does not allow a user to easily switch modes.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided an electric apparatus having a normal operation mode and a test mode for performing various tests at the time of production. The key operation is provided in multiple stages with a plurality of combinations of the switching condition and the permission condition, and the input condition of the switching condition and the permission condition does not match a predetermined condition, or The mode switching is canceled if the input condition between the command and the permission condition is not performed within a predetermined time.

[0009]

FIG. 1 shows an operation flowchart according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the configuration, as described in the related art, the key operation port is also used as a mode switching port, and switching between the normal operation mode and the test mode is performed by key operation of a remote control or an operation unit. ing.

Next, the operation at the time of actual mode switching will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present invention, as a mode switching operation, first, a switching condition is input from a key of a remote controller or an operation unit, and the switching condition matches (matches) a switching condition stored in the device. Only the next permission condition is accepted, and even in this permission condition, the switch to the test mode is permitted only when the permission condition keyed in and the permission condition stored in the device match.

As shown in FIG. 2, a predetermined time is set in the input interval of the switching condition and the permission condition. If the correct permission condition is not input within the predetermined time, the mode is switched to the test mode. It may not be necessary. Note that the determination method after the key input of the permission condition may return before the determination of the elapse of the predetermined time as shown by the solid line in FIG. 2 or completely cancel the transition to the test mode and directly enter the normal operation mode as shown by the dotted line. It is also possible to return to any arbitrary position if the permission conditions are not satisfied, although not shown in the figure.

Since the operation program described above requires a smaller storage capacity than a program for key operation or the like, a conventional microcomputer can be used without any special storage device.

In the above embodiment, two conditions, ie, a switching condition and a permission condition, are set. Such a condition can be solved by providing at least two conditions in normal use. Depending on the conditions, the same effect can of course be obtained by providing two or more, and the predetermined time as the input interval between the switching condition and the permission condition can be appropriately changed.

[0014]

According to the above configuration, even when a key operation as a switching condition is performed by an erroneous key operation by a user, a key operation conforming to the permission condition must be performed or the permission condition must not be input within a predetermined time. For example, since the mode is not shifted to the test mode, the mode is not erroneously shifted to the test mode in practical use.

At the same time, the ports of the microcomputer can be saved, so that other control ports can be secured, and a multifunctional electric device can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a mode switching method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a mode switching method according to another example of the present invention.

Claims (3)

[Claims] An electric device having a normal operation mode and a test mode for performing various tests during production,
A test mode switching method for an electric device, wherein the mode is switched by a key operation of a remote controller or an operation unit, and a plurality of combinations of the switching condition and the permission condition are provided in multiple stages. 2. The test mode switching method according to claim 1, wherein the mode switching is canceled when the input of the switching condition and the permission condition does not match a predetermined condition. 3. The test mode switching method according to claim 1, wherein the mode switching is canceled unless the switching condition and the permission condition are input within a predetermined time.