JPH10227510A - Method of controlling air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a serial signal given or taken between an indoor device and an outdoor device of an air conditioner to be accurately read irrespective of presence of noise. SOLUTION: In the case that a serial signal is given or taken between an indoor device and an outdoor device in order to operate an air conditioner, a synchronizing signal of rectangular wave with a zero-cross point being applied as an interface is attained by each of power source synchronizing circuits 1a, 2a in reference to an AC power source. At a transmission side, either a control circuit 10a or a control circuit 11a transmits a plurality of bits through either a forward transmission circuit 1c or an inverse transmission circuit 2c as a serial signal for every half-wave of an AC voltage. At a receiving side, either the control circuit 10a or 11a reads the serial signal received through either a forward transmission or receiving circuit 2d or an inverse transmission or receiving circuit 1d. At this time, after a reading processing of the serial signal is carried out when a predetermined time elapses from an edge of the synchronizing signal, the reading operation of the serial signal is carried out for predetermined times for every shorter time than this predetermined time. Some serial signals read through this processing occupying many signals are applied as transmission serial signals.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for controlling an air conditioner that provides a comfortable indoor environment, and more particularly to a method for accurately transmitting and receiving a serial signal between an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The present invention relates to a method for controlling an air conditioner that can receive a signal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When an operation command is issued by a remote controller or the like, an air conditioner of this type operates a compressor or the like to operate a refrigeration cycle to bring the room to a temperature set by the remote controller.
To maintain a comfortable environment.

During the operation of the air conditioner, a serial signal is transmitted and received between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. For example,
On the indoor unit side, the operating frequency code or the like of the compressor determined according to the difference between the room temperature and the set value of the remote controller is included in a forward serial signal (for example, a 32-bit serial signal = 1 word) and transmitted to the outdoor unit side. The outdoor unit receives the forward serial signal (one word), drives the compressor in accordance with the operating frequency code included in the received serial signal, and reports the operating state of the compressor and the like to a serial signal (inverse serial signal). ) And send it to the indoor unit. The indoor unit receives the reverse serial signal, transmits an operating frequency code or the like in consideration of the operating state of the compressor, etc., to the outdoor unit while including the forward serial signal.

In order to transmit and receive a serial signal, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, the indoor unit 1 includes a power supply synchronizing signal circuit 1a, a control circuit 1b, a forward transfer transmitting circuit 1c, and a reverse transfer receiving circuit 1d. Similarly, the outdoor unit 2 includes a power supply synchronization signal circuit 2a, a control circuit 2b, a forward transfer transmitting circuit 2c, and a reverse transfer receiving circuit 2d.

[0005] At least the control circuits 1b and 2b are microcomputers and execute processing necessary for the operation of the air conditioner. As shown in FIG. 3, the indoor unit 1 and the outdoor unit 2 are connected by a serial signal line in addition to the power line of the AC power supply 3.

In the indoor unit 1, a rectangular synchronous signal (power synchronous signal) at the zero-cross point is obtained by the power synchronous signal circuit 1a by the AC voltage waveform of the AC power supply 2, and the synchronous signal is synchronized with the synchronous signal. Information (bits such as operating frequency code)
Is output by the control circuit 1b, and the output bits (1 ;, 0;
L) is transmitted to the outdoor unit 2 by the forward transfer transmission circuit 1d in synchronization with a synchronization signal for each half-wave (for example, a negative voltage) of the AC voltage.

[0007] In the outdoor unit 2, like the power supply synchronizing signal circuit 1 a of the indoor unit 1, a rectangular wave synchronizing signal (power synchronizing signal) with a zero-cross point as a boundary is formed by an AC voltage waveform of the AC power supply 2. 1a, the forward serial signal from the indoor unit 1 is received by the forward transfer receiving circuit 2d, and the received serial signal (bit) is read by the control circuit 2b in synchronization with the synchronization signal.

At this time, as shown in FIG.
When an edge of the synchronization signal is detected (see FIG. 4B), an internal timer is started and the elapse of a predetermined time A (a time shorter than a half-wave time of the AC voltage) is monitored. When A elapses, one bit of the reception order serial signal is read (see FIG. 3C).

In this way, when a forward serial signal (1 bit) is read for each half-wave of the AC voltage and a forward serial signal for one word is received, compression is performed based on the forward serial signal of one word. Drive the machine. In the outdoor unit 2, similarly to the indoor unit 1, a reverse serial signal including the operating state of the compressor and the like is transmitted by the reverse transfer transmission circuit 2 c, and in the indoor unit 1, the reverse serial signal is received by the reverse transfer reception circuit 1 d. .

As described above, by transmitting and receiving a serial signal (forward serial signal, reverse serial signal) including various information between the indoor unit 1 and the outdoor unit 2, the compressor is optimized at a predetermined operating frequency. , The interior can be set to a set temperature, and a comfortable environment can be maintained.

[0011]

In the method of controlling an air conditioner, one bit of a serial signal (forward and reverse serial signals) is read after a lapse of a predetermined time A from detection of an edge of a synchronization signal. In order to ensure the nature, it is read continuously multiple times. However, the interval for reading a plurality of times continuously is, for example, several tens μsec.
Therefore, for example, as indicated by a two-dot chain line arrow d in FIG. 4C, a bit that is originally 1 (H) level is read as 0 (L) level due to a certain amount of noise or the like, that is, an incorrect serial signal is read. There is a drawback of reading. As a result, the air conditioner performs erroneous room temperature control, which impairs the indoor environment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to be able to accurately read (accurately receive) a serial signal irrespective of noise or the like and to impair the indoor environment. Another object of the present invention is to provide a control method of an air conditioner that can improve a comfortable environment.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a method for operating an air conditioner, comprising the steps of: synchronizing a serial signal between an indoor unit and an outdoor unit in synchronization with an AC power supply of the air conditioner; In the method for controlling an air conditioner that performs transmission and reception of a serial signal, when receiving the serial signal, a synchronous signal of a rectangular wave bordering on a zero-cross point of the AC power source is obtained, and at a predetermined time after the edge of the synchronous signal. After performing the reading processing of the serial signal, performing the reading processing of the serial signal a predetermined number of times every time shorter than the predetermined time,
Among the plurality of serial signals read in the processing, a signal occupying a large number is determined as a transmission serial signal.

According to the present invention, in order to operate an air conditioner, an indoor unit and an outdoor unit are synchronized with an AC power supply of the air conditioner and include one bit for each half-wave of the AC power supply. In the control method of an air conditioner for transmitting and receiving a serial signal having the number of bits, when receiving the serial signal, a synchronous signal of a rectangular wave bordering on a zero cross point of the AC power source is obtained, and a half-wave of the AC power source is obtained. After performing the 1-bit reading process at a predetermined time lapse point from the edge of the synchronization signal every time, the 1-bit reading process is performed a predetermined number of times every time shorter than the predetermined time, and the plurality of bits read by the process are read. It is characterized in that one occupying a large part of one bit is determined as one bit of the transmission serial signal.

In this case, it is preferable that the number of times of reading the serial signal or the number of times of reading of one bit is odd for each half-wave of the AC power supply.

In the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, a predetermined time has elapsed from the edge of the synchronization signal and a time shorter than the predetermined time is measured by a timer, and the timer is a function of a microcomputer serving as the control means. It should be realized.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. In the figure,
The same parts as those in FIG. FIG. 2 corresponds to FIG.

In the control method of the air conditioner of the present invention, one of the serial signals (forward serial signal or reverse serial signal) is detected when a predetermined time a elapses after detecting the falling edge of the synchronizing signal synchronized with the AC voltage. The bit is read, and thereafter, the one bit is read a plurality of times at every predetermined time b (<a), and one bit occupying the majority of the read one bit is used as a transmission serial signal. The predetermined time a is shorter than a half cycle of the AC voltage, and the predetermined time b is shorter than a and longer than several tens μsec. For this reason, the indoor unit 10 and the outdoor unit 11
And a control circuit 10a and a control circuit 11a having the above-described functions and a timer for a predetermined time b. The control circuit 10a has the function of the control circuit 1b shown in FIG. 3, and the control circuit 11a has the function of the control circuit 2b shown in FIG. 3, the indoor unit 10 includes a power supply synchronization circuit 1a, a forward transfer transmission circuit 1c, and a reverse transfer reception circuit 1d, and the outdoor unit 11 includes a power supply synchronization circuit 2a, a forward transfer transmission circuit 2c, and a reverse transfer reception circuit 2d. Have.

Next, the operation of the control device for an air conditioner having the above configuration will be described in detail with reference to the time chart of FIG. 2. First, in order to operate the air conditioner, it is necessary for the indoor unit to operate. It is assumed that a forward serial signal including an appropriate command (such as an operating frequency code) is transmitted to the outdoor unit. In addition,
As described in the conventional example, the forward remote control signal is transmitted as one bit for each half-wave (negative half cycle) of the AC voltage of the AC power supply 3 and transmitted as 32 words as one word. Then, in the outdoor unit 11, the forward transfer receiving circuit 2d receives the forward serial signal (see FIG. 2C), and the received forward serial signal is read one bit at a time by the control circuit 11a.

At this time, when the control circuit 11a detects the falling edge of the synchronization signal from the power supply synchronization circuit 2a, as shown by the dashed arrow in FIG. 2C, it starts an internal timer for a predetermined time a. When the timer expires, one bit of the reception order serial signal is read, and an internal timer for a predetermined time b is started. When the timer expires, one bit of the reception order serial signal is read. In addition, the timer for the predetermined time b is restarted at time-up, and the timer is restarted an odd number of times, while one bit of the reception order serial signal is read every time the timer times-up.

In the case shown in FIG. 2C, the timer for the predetermined time b is started four times, and one bit of the serial signal in the reception order is read five times. When these five readings are completed, the read one bit is 1 (H) or 0 (zero).
(L), and it is determined that the one occupying the majority is one bit of the transmitted serial signal.

For example, when noise is included in the forward serial signal (see the two-dot chain arrow d in FIG. 2C), even if the first bit read becomes 0 (L) due to noise, If one bit read four times thereafter becomes 1 (H), 1 bit of the transmitted serial signal is changed to 1 (H).
(H) is determined.

Therefore, the serial signal received in the receiving order is not mistaken due to noise or the like, that is, it can be read accurately, erroneous control is not performed, and the indoor environment is not spoiled.

According to the method described above, the outdoor unit 11 reads the forward serial signal (32 bits = 1 word) from the indoor unit, and drives the compressor, for example, in a predetermined manner by the read serial signal.

The outdoor unit 11 transmits the operating state of the compressor and the like to the indoor unit 10 as a reverse serial signal, and the indoor unit 11 reads the reverse serial signal by the above-described method. Can be read correctly, that is, it can be read accurately, no erroneous control is performed, and the indoor environment is not impaired.

[0026]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the control method of the air conditioner, when the serial signal is transmitted and received between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, the AC of the air conditioner is controlled. After obtaining a rectangular wave synchronization signal bordering on the zero crossing point of the power supply, and performing the reading processing of the serial signal at a predetermined time elapse point from the edge of the synchronization signal, performing the predetermined number of times every time shorter than the predetermined time Perform the reading process of the serial signal, since the transmission serial signal occupies the majority of the plurality of serial signals read in the process, even if the serial signal contains noise, etc.
There is an effect that the serial signal can be accurately read (accurately received), and the indoor environment is not impaired, and the comfortable environment can be improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a serial signal of a predetermined number of bits including one bit for each half-wave of the AC power supply, which is synchronized with the AC power supply of the air conditioner between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. When transmitting and receiving, a rectangular wave synchronization signal bordering on the zero-cross point of the AC power supply is obtained, and one bit is read and processed at a predetermined time elapse from the edge of the synchronization signal for each half-wave of the AC power supply. Thereafter, the 1-bit is read a predetermined number of times at intervals shorter than the predetermined time, and a large number of the plurality of 1-bits read in this process are regarded as 1 bit of the transmission serial signal. Regardless, a multi-bit serial signal can be accurately read (accurately received), so that the indoor environment is not impaired and, consequently, a comfortable environment can be improved. There is an effect that.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the number of times of reading the serial signal or the number of times of reading the one bit is odd for each half-wave of the AC power supply. In addition to the effect of 2, the serial signal is determined to be either 1 (H) or 0 (L), and there is an effect that the worst case where the serial signal cannot be read can be avoided.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the indoor unit and the outdoor unit of the first or second aspect, a predetermined time has elapsed from the edge of the synchronization signal and a time shorter than the predetermined time has been measured by a timer. Since this timer is realized by the function of the microcomputer serving as the control means, in addition to the effect of claim 1 or 2, there is no need to add a new hardware circuit, that is, an effect that the cost is not increased. There is.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, to which an air conditioner control method is applied;

FIG. 2 is a schematic time chart for explaining the operation of the control device for the air conditioner shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional control device for an air conditioner.

FIG. 4 is a schematic time chart for explaining the operation of the control device for the air conditioner shown in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,10 Indoor unit 1a, 2a Power supply synchronization circuit 1b, 10a Control circuit 1c Forward transfer transmitting circuit 1d Reverse transfer receiving circuit 2,11 Outdoor unit 2b, 11a Control circuit 2c Reverse transfer transmitting circuit 2d Forward transfer receiving circuit d Noise

Claims (4)

[Claims] An air conditioner control method for transmitting and receiving a serial signal between an indoor unit and an outdoor unit in synchronization with an AC power supply of the air conditioner in order to operate the air conditioner. When receiving a synchronous signal of a rectangular wave bordering on the zero-cross point of the AC power source, and after performing the reading process of the serial signal at a predetermined time elapse from the edge of the synchronous signal, from the predetermined time Perform the reading process of the serial signal a predetermined number of times every short time,
A method for controlling an air conditioner, wherein a signal occupying a large number of a plurality of serial signals read in the processing is determined to be a transmission serial signal. 2. A predetermined bit which is synchronized with an AC power supply of the air conditioner between an indoor unit and an outdoor unit to operate the air conditioner, and includes one bit for each half-wave of the AC power supply. In the method for controlling an air conditioner that transmits and receives a number of serial signals, when receiving the serial signal, a synchronous signal of a rectangular wave bordering on a zero cross point of the AC power source is obtained, and each half-wave of the AC power source is obtained. After performing the 1-bit reading process at a predetermined time elapse point from the edge of the synchronization signal, the 1-bit reading process is performed a predetermined number of times every time shorter than the predetermined time, and a plurality of 1s read by the process are read. A method for controlling an air conditioner, wherein a bit occupying a large number of bits is determined as one bit of a transmission serial signal. 3. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the number of times of reading the serial signal or the number of times of reading the one bit is odd for each half-wave of the AC power supply. 4. In the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, a predetermined time has elapsed from the edge of the synchronization signal and a time shorter than the predetermined time is measured by a timer, and the timer is a function of a microcomputer serving as the control means. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, which is realized.