JPH10300203A - Control board for hot water supply unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a control board for hot water supply unit in which a stored data can be succeeded easily at low cost at the time of after service for replacing a failed control board mounting a nonvolatile rewritable memory, e.g. EEPROM, storing a data which must be succeeded. SOLUTION: A control board 10a for hot water supply unit comprising a microcomputer 11a, and a memory for storing a data is provided with a connecting terminal part 14a for transmitting/receiving a signal. A decision is made whether or not a control board 10a is a control board for after service and if it is a control board for after service, a data transferred from a counter part to be connected is received and stored and a data indicative of its own after service is erased according to a an incorporated software.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a control base for a water heater.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a water heater, a water heater with a bath reheating function, and other water heaters, a non-volatile rewritable memory such as an EEPROM is used as one of the memories as a control base. is there. in this case,
Into the EEPROM, integrated data such as the burning time, the number of times of burning, the use time of the CO sensor, and other data unique to the base are written. And the EEPR
Conventionally, in the case of the OM-equipped model, when exchanging the base in the after-sales service, two methods have been used in order to inherit the data held in the EEPROM. As one of them, there is a type in which the EEPROM is detachable. That is, referring to FIG. 5, A is a failed control board. 1 is an EEPROM in which data is written,
Reference numeral 2 denotes a detachable sub-base, reference numeral 3 denotes a main base, and reference numeral 4 denotes a connector for connecting the detachable sub-base 2 and the main base 3. When the control board fails, the sub-board 2 on which the EEPROM 1 is mounted is disconnected from the connector 4 from the failed control board A, and as shown by an arrow, the EEPROM 1
By connecting the sub-substrate 2 with the tag to the connector 4a of the main base 3a of the new control base B provided by the after-sales service, the new control base B which exchanges the data specific to the original water heater can be transferred. Is the way. Another method is to use a maintenance monitor, in which a serviceman or the like once reads out the stored contents of the EEPROM of the original control board, records this on a separate sheet, and then stores the data in the newly provided control board in the after-sales service. It is a method of writing from.
That is, referring to FIG. 6, a maintenance monitor 7 is connected 6 to the failed control board A having the non-detachable EEPROM 1 on the main board 3 so that the worker can control the failed control board A from the failed control board A. The contents stored in the EEPROM 1 are read out and recorded on the separate sheet 8.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned detachable type, the control board A from the failed EEP
There is a problem that the work of removing the sub-board 2 on which the ROM 1 is mounted and attaching it to the new control board B is troublesome and troublesome on site, and the cost is high because the sub-board 2 is detachably provided on the main board 3. There was a problem of becoming. In the case of using the maintenance monitor 7, it is necessary to temporarily record the data read by the worker on the maintenance monitor 7 on another paper 8 or the like, and then to write the data to a new control board. There was also a problem that it was troublesome. On the other hand, even when the unique data in the original control board is not written in the new control board, when the water heater replaced with the new control board is operated, the water heater that has been used so far is used. There is a problem that actual data or unique data cannot be used.

Accordingly, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems in the control base of the conventional water heater, and provides an after-sales service for replacing the failure of the control base equipped with a nonvolatile rewritable memory such as an EEPROM which needs to inherit stored data. It is an object of the present invention to provide a water heater control base capable of easily passing stored data at low cost. Another issue is to provide a water heater control base that can prevent the use of a water heater in a new state without replacement, without inheriting any data from the original control board at the time of failure replacement. I do.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a control base of a water heater according to the present invention is a control base of a water heater provided with a microcomputer and a memory for storing data.
It is provided with a connection terminal unit capable of transmitting and receiving signals, and determines whether or not the control base is a control base for after-sales service, and if the control base is a control base for after-sales service, transfers from a connection partner. The first feature is that software for receiving and storing the data and erasing the data indicating that the data is for its own after-sales service is incorporated therein. Further, the control base of the water heater of the present invention is a control base of a water heater provided with a microcomputer and a memory for storing data, and includes a connection terminal portion capable of transmitting and receiving signals. It is determined whether or not the control board is for the after-sales service, and if the control board is for the after-sales service, the connection terminal of the control board for the after-sales service is connected to the connection terminal of the control board before replacement. A second feature is that software for a procedure for transferring and storing data unique to the water heater stored in the memory of the control board before replacement in the memory of the control board for after-sales service is incorporated. Further, the control base of the water heater of the present invention is a control base of a water heater provided with a microcomputer (microcomputer) and at least an EEPROM as a memory, and is a remote controller capable of superimposing and transmitting a power supply voltage and a signal. Line connection terminal unit, and when the power supply voltage is transmitted to the microcomputer through the remote control line connection terminal unit,
First, it is determined whether or not its own control base is a control base for after-sales service, and if it is a control base for after-sales service, a request is made to a connection partner to transfer data of the connection partner. The third feature is that software of a procedure for storing received data after checking the received data and erasing the data indicating that the data is for own service is incorporated therein.
Further, the control base of the water heater of the present invention is a control base of a water heater provided with a microcomputer and at least an EEPROM as a memory, and a control base for after-sales service shipping performs certain writing to the EEPROM. A third feature is that data is written so that the operation of the water heater cannot be performed unless otherwise.

According to the first feature of the present invention, the newly provided control base first determines from its own data whether or not it is a control base for after-sales service,
If it is determined that it is the control base for the after-sales service, it receives the transfer data from the connection partner and stores it. Then, it deletes the data indicating that it is the control base for the after-sales service. According to the first feature, when the control board for after-sales service is connected to the control board of the failed water heater, it is possible to receive and store data from the failed control board, and By replacing the control board for after-sales service with the failed control board and installing it in the water heater, it becomes possible to control the operation of the water heater as a control board that inherits the unique data and history data of the water heater .

According to the second feature of the present invention, when the control base for after-sales service is connected to the control base of the failed water heater, the unique water heater stored in the memory of the failed control base is provided. Transfer and store the data. Therefore, the control board for the after-sales service is replaced with the failed control board and incorporated into the water heater, so that the operation of the water heater can be controlled as a control board inheriting the unique data and the history data of the water heater. .

According to the third feature of the present invention, when the failed control board and the newly provided control board for after-sales service are connected by a remote control line connection terminal, one of the control boards is connected. Thus, the power supply voltage is also provided to the other control board. When the control board for the after-sales service starts up when the power is turned on, the microcomputer (microcomputer) first determines from its own data whether the control board for the after-sales service is used, and determines that it is the control board for the after-sales service. If it determines, it outputs a data transfer request signal to the other party. In the failed control board that has received the data transfer request signal, the microcomputer reads the data unique to the water heater stored in the on-board EEPROM and sends it to the control board for after-sales service.
In the control board for after-sales service, the microcomputer checks the data received from the failed control board, confirms that it is the specified data from the failed control board, and then loads the received data into its own control board EEPR
Write to OM. Then, it deletes the data indicating that it is the control base for the after-sales service. By the above,
The newly provided control board is replaced with the failed control board and incorporated into the water heater, so that the operation of the water heater can be controlled as a control board that inherits the unique data and history data of the water heater. .

According to the fourth feature of the present invention, the control board for after-sales service shipping is written with data which prevents the operation of the water heater unless certain writing is performed on the EEPROM. So, even if you remove the control board that failed due to after-sales service and attach this control board for shipping after-sales service,
Unless a certain amount of writing is performed, the operation of the water heater cannot be performed. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the operation of the water heater with the inherent data and history data ignored.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an interconnected pair of control boards according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an interconnected control board according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a pair of block diagrams. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation when the control board obtains data from the original control board, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining another embodiment of the present invention.

A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 10 denotes a control base of a failed water heater, and reference numeral 10a denotes a control base of a water heater newly provided as an after-sales service. Both control boards 10 and 10a are control boards according to the present invention. Control board 1
Microcomputers 11 and 11a and at least a non-volatile rewritable memory such as EEP
ROMs 12 and 12a, two-core superimposing circuits 13 and 13a, and connectors 14 and 14a as remote control line connection terminals are provided at a minimum. Further, the control boards 10 and 10a can be connected to the power supply voltage line 20. FIG. 1 shows an example in which the power supply voltage line 20 is connected to the failed control board 10. The two control boards, that is, the failed control board 10 and the control board 10a newly provided for replacement are connected by the two-core remote control line 30, so that the failed control board 10
To the newly provided control board 10a, EEPROM
The contents stored in the EEPROM 12 are transferred as data.
Stored in a.

The EEPROMs 12 and 12a store data unique to the water heater. Therefore, the EEPROM 12 of the failed control board 10 stores data unique to the water heater, history data, and the like. For example, the combustion time, the number of times of combustion, the use time of the CO sensor, and the like. And
For example, the use time of the CO sensor is a safety condition such as stopping the operation of the water heater when it exceeds a certain time. Meanwhile, the newly provided control board 10a
Is a control base of a water heater in place of the failed control base 10, but does not yet have data unique to the water heater.

Normally, the control board 10, 10a is not supplied with the power supply voltage for the control board through the connectors 14, 14a, but when the power supply voltage is sent through the connectors 14, 14a. Is based on the software incorporated in the microcomputers 11 and 11a.
A certain operation, that is, an operation related to data exchange is performed. With reference to FIG. 3, the operation of data exchange by the microcomputer 11a of the newly provided control board 10a by the built-in software will be described. Now, the remote control line 30 from the failed control board 10 is replaced with the new control board 10 for after-sales service.
When the microcomputer 11a is connected to the connector 14a and the power supply voltage via the power supply voltage line 20 is transmitted to the new control board 10a through the remote control line 30 (Yes in step S1), the microcomputer 11a
Using the rising voltage as a start signal, it is first determined whether or not its own control board 10a is a control board for after-sales service (step S2). This determination is made, for example, by EE
This can be performed by checking whether data as a control base for after service is written in the PROM 12a and stored.

If the microcomputer 11a determines that it is the control board 10a for after-sales service, the microcomputer 11a transmits a predetermined data transfer request signal to the failed control board 10 via the remote control line 30 to the connection partner (step S10). S3). The predetermined data is data stored in the other party's EEPROM 12, and more simply, the other party's EEPROM.
12 is data unique to the water heater.

The microcomputer 11 of the failed control board 10 includes:
Based on the data transfer request signal from the new control board 10a, the data stored in the EEPROM 12, at least the data unique to the water heater, is read and transmitted to the new control board 10a.

When the microcomputer 11a of the new control board 10a receives the data from the failed control board 10 (Yes in step S4), it checks whether or not the received data is predetermined data (step S5). ). This check is performed by, for example, identifying the data transmitted from the failed control board 10 by the identification symbol attached to the data.
The determination can be made by determining whether the data is unique to the water heater stored in the PROM 12 or not.

When the check is completed in step S5, the microcomputer 11a stores the received data in its own EE.
Write and store in PROM 12a (step S
6). Then, the data indicating that it is a control base for the after-service, which is written and stored in the EEPROM 12a, is deleted (step S7). By storing the transferred data, the new control board 10a can be attached to the water heater even if it replaces the original control board 10.
It becomes possible to perform control specific to the water heater. In addition, since the data indicating that the control board is a control board for after-sales service is deleted, the new control board 10a can be normally operated as a normal control board after the new control board 10a is installed in the water heater.

As described above, when replacing a new control board 10a for after-sales service with a failed control board 10 and using it for a water heater, it is necessary to obtain unique data held by the failed control board 10. is there. Conversely, in the case of a control board for after-sales service, it is necessary to prevent operation even if the new control board is directly attached to the water heater. This is because the inherent data and accumulated data of the water heater are not reflected in the control, and good operation and good safety measures cannot be taken.

The second embodiment of the control board for a water heater according to the present invention corresponds to claim 2. In short, the control board for after-sales service shipment is an EEPROM provided in the control board. On the other hand, the control base is configured to write data that cannot be operated by the water heater as it is unless certain writing is performed. More specifically, according to the flowchart of FIG. 4, when the control board is shipped, it is determined whether the shipment is a shipment for a new assembly or a shipment for an after-sales service (step S11). If the shipment is (yes in step S11),
In the EEPROM provided on the control board, data indicating that the control board is for after-sales service is written as the fixed writing (step S12). As this data, various data can be used as a convention. As another method, a flag may be set. Since the data indicating that it is for the after-sales service is written and present, when the control base for the after-sales service is installed in the water heater in place of the control board that has actually failed, the data is used for the after-sales service. To the effect that the unique data must be transferred from the control board. In addition, if the shipment is for after-sales service in step S11 (Yes in step S11), data that cannot be used as it is in normal use such as being attached to a new water heater may be written ( Step S1
2). Such data includes, for example, C
In the case of a water heater in which the operation by the safe operation is stopped when the use time of the O sensor exceeds 3000 hours, the above E
The time of 3000 hours or more as the usage time of the CO sensor is written as data into the EPROM. As a result, even if the control board in which this data is written is attached to a normal water heater, the water heater cannot be operated as it is. In the normal use, 3000 hours as data that is unusable as it is, at the after-sales service site, by writing data unique to the water heater,
Will be erased.

When the control board is shipped, if the shipment is not for after-sales service (No in step S11), it is determined whether or not it is a normal shipment (shipment as a new product) (step S13). In the case of normal use (Yes in step S13), data for normal use is written. Of course, writing of data not for after-sales service may be performed. The control board for normal shipping in which the writing is performed in this manner is installed as it is and enables the operation of the water heater only when the control board is installed for normal use.

In the above example, when the connection to the connection terminal of the control board is started, the execution of the data transfer is started at the timing of the rise of the power supply. Is also good. However, the above method is very effective in that a separate switch operation is not required, data can be transferred early, and desired data can be obtained before another program operates. is there.

In the above example, the terminal for transmitting and receiving the unique data is provided using the connection terminal with the remote controller of the water heater. However, another terminal may be used, or the terminal may be separately provided. Needless to say, it may be provided. However, as described above, if the transmission / reception data is performed in the same manner as the transmission / reception data with the remote controller using the connection terminal portion of the remote controller,
Separately, a special transmission / reception configuration is not required, and very effective utilization can be achieved.

[0023]

According to the present invention, there is provided the above construction.
According to the control board of the water heater described in the above, it is a control board of the water heater provided with a microcomputer and a memory for storing data, and provided with a connection terminal portion capable of transmitting and receiving signals, the control board It is determined whether or not is a control base for after-sales service, and if it is a control base for after-sales service, transfer data from the connection partner is received and stored, and data indicating that it is for its own after-sales service If the control board for after-sales service is connected to the control board of the failed water heater, the data from the failed control board should be received and stored because the software for removing the Therefore, the control board for the after-sales service is replaced with the failed control board and incorporated in the water heater, so that the specific data and the footwear of the water heater can be obtained. Data it is possible to control the operation of the water heater as a control board that inherited. Further, according to the control base of the water heater according to claim 2, the microcomputer,
A control base of a water heater having a memory for storing data, comprising a connection terminal part capable of transmitting and receiving signals, and determining whether the control base is a control base for after-sales service. When the connection terminal of the control board for after-sales service is connected to the connection terminal of the control board before replacement, the hot water supply stored in the memory of the control board before replacement. Since the software for the procedure of transferring and storing the device-specific data in the memory of the after-sales service control base is built in, by connecting the after-service control base with the control base of the failed water heater, The control board for after-sales service can transfer and store the water heater-specific data stored in the memory of the failed control board.
Therefore, by replacing the control board for after-sales service with the failed control board and incorporating it in the water heater, the operation of the water heater can be controlled as a control board inheriting the unique data and the history data of the water heater. According to the control base of the water heater according to the third aspect, the control base of the water heater provided with the microcomputer and at least the EEPROM as the memory can transmit and receive the power supply voltage and the signal in a superimposed manner. When a power supply voltage is transmitted to the microcomputer through the remote control line connection terminal unit, it is determined whether or not the control base is a control base for after-sales service. In the case of a control base for after-sales service, a request is made to the connection partner to transfer the data of the connection partner, and after checking the received data, this data is stored and Since the software of the procedure to delete the data indicating that it is for after-sales service is built in, the EE that needs to inherit the stored data
At the time of after-sales service for replacing the PROM mounted control board, there is an effect that the stored data can be reliably inherited at low cost, with simple operation. According to the control base for a water heater according to claim 4, a control base for a water heater comprising a microcomputer and at least an EEPROM as a memory, the control base for after-sales service shipment being provided with respect to the EEPROM Since the data is written so that the operation of the water heater cannot be performed unless a certain amount of writing is performed, even if the control board that failed due to after-sales service is removed and the control Unless the writing is performed, the operation of the water heater cannot be performed, so that it is possible to reliably prevent the water heater from being operated while ignoring its own data and history data.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a mutually connected pair of control boards according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a pair of mutually connected block diagrams of a control board according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation when the control board obtains data from the original control board.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the related art.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating another example of the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 10a Control board 11, 11a Microcomputer 12, 12a EEPROM 13, 13a 2-core superimposed circuit 14, 14a Connector 20 Power supply voltage line 30 Remote control line

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tadashi Matsubara 93 Edo-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo Pref. (72) Inventor Kenken Kubotani 93 Edo-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture Inside Noritz Co., Ltd. Nobuyuki Inoue 93 Edocho, Chuo-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture Inside Noritz Co., Ltd. 93, Edo-cho, Chuo-ku, Yokohama City

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A control board for a water heater comprising a microcomputer and a memory for storing data, the control board including a connection terminal portion capable of transmitting and receiving a signal, wherein the control board is a control board for after-sales service. And if it is a control base for after-sales service, the software of the procedure for receiving and storing the transfer data from the connection partner and deleting the data indicating that it is for its own after-sales service is used. Control base of water heater characterized by being built-in. 2. A control base for a water heater comprising a microcomputer and a memory for storing data, the control base including a connection terminal part capable of transmitting and receiving signals, wherein the control base is a control base for after-sales service. In the case of a control board for after-sales service, when the connection terminal of the control board for after-sales service is connected to the connection terminal of the control board before replacement, the control before replacement is performed. A control base for a water heater, wherein software for a procedure for transferring and storing data unique to the water heater stored in a memory of the base to a memory of a control base for after-sales service is incorporated. 3. A microcomputer and at least E as a memory.
A control base of a water heater provided with an EPROM, a remote control line connection terminal portion capable of transmitting and receiving a power supply voltage and a signal in a superimposed manner, and the microcomputer includes:
When the power supply voltage is transmitted through the remote control line connection terminal, first, it is determined whether or not its own control base is a control base for after-sales service, and if it is a control base for after-sales service, A software for making a request to a connection partner to transfer the data of the connection partner, checking the received data, storing the data, and deleting the data indicating that the data is for its own after-sales service. A control base for a water heater characterized by incorporating a water heater. 4. A microcomputer and at least E as a memory.
A control board for a water heater provided with an EPROM, and data for preventing the operation of the water heater is written in the control board for after-sales service shipment unless certain writing is performed to the EEPROM. A control base for a water heater characterized by the following.