JPS62200127A - Control method for air conditioning device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to conduct smoothly transmission and receiving of data among units by providing to an address set-up means of an air conditioning device a time to prohibit transmission in accordance with a set address. CONSTITUTION:When an electric power source is turned on for an air conditioning device to which a plurality of units are connected, and initial value required for the operation control for the device is set up and at the same time a time to prohibit transmission is stored beforehand in each memory by carrying out an input to the set-up address given by an address set-up means. The time to prohibit transmission is different for each unit. When specified rimes T0+nt, T1+nt and T2+nt respectively to the times to prohibit transmission for a remote controller unit, indoor unit and outdoor unit. With this constitution transmission and receiving can be made smoothly and it is possible to enhance reliability of the system.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention relates to a method for controlling an air conditioner, and more particularly to a method for transmitting data between units of a separate air conditioner that is separated into a plurality of units. .

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a control circuit for an air conditioner according to the conventional control method disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 155326/1982. In the figure, 1 is a remote controller, and a microcomputer 2.1 performs arithmetic processing according to a predetermined program. Transmission/reception circuit 3 for transmitting and receiving control data. It is composed of an input circuit 42 such as an operation switch, and an output circuit 5 that performs display and the like. 10 is an indoor controller,
A microcomputer 11 that performs arithmetic processing according to a predetermined program. A transmitting/receiving circuit 12 for transmitting and receiving control data. Input circuit 13 for suction sensor, piping sensor, etc. It is composed of an output circuit 14 for an indoor fan, etc. 20 is an outdoor controller, and includes a microcomputer 21.20 that performs arithmetic processing according to a predetermined program. A transmitting/receiving circuit 22 for transmitting and receiving control data. Input circuit 23 for piping sensors, etc. It is composed of a compressor and an output circuit 24 such as an outdoor fan. Reference numeral 30 denotes a control line for transmitting transmission data by connecting each unit.

This transmitted data includes data for identifying the remote controller unit, indoor unit and outdoor unit, and by identifying this data, the receiving unit can identify which unit the transmitted data is from. It is now possible to distinguish.

Next, the operation will be explained. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the transmission/reception control operation in the block diagram shown in FIG. 6, and it is assumed that a program for executing this operation is stored in each microcomputer 2, 11.21. First, when the power is turned on, step 100
In step 1, initial values necessary for operation control are set, and the process proceeds to reception flag determination step 101. Here, the reception flag becomes "1" when transmission data from another unit is received via the control line 30, and becomes "0" when the reception of this transmission data is completed. Then, judgment step 10
1, it is determined whether this reception flag is "1" or "0", that is, whether reception is in progress. When the reception flag is 0, the process advances to transmission flag determination step 102.The transmission flag becomes "1" when the own unit transmits, and becomes "0" when transmission is completed.In determination step 102, it is determined whether the transmission flag is currently being transmitted. It is determined whether

When the transmission flag is "0", the process advances to step 103 and various processes are performed. Here, each process in step 13 is, for example, input of an operation switch or display output in the remote controller 1, and input processing for output signals of a suction sensor and piping sensor, or output control for an indoor fan, etc. in the indoor controller 10, for example. The outdoor controller 20 performs, for example, input processing for output signals from piping sensors or output control for compressors and the like.

Next, in step 104, the transmission data is processed, and the process returns to step 101. If the transmission flag is "1" in step 102, the process proceeds to step 105 to perform transmission processing. In step 106, it is determined whether or not the transmission is completed, and the transmission process continues for m until the transmission is completed. If it is determined in step 106 that the transmission has been completed, the process proceeds to step 107 and the transmission flag is set to "0".

If the reception flag is determined to be "1" in step 101, the process proceeds to step 108 to perform reception processing, and then proceeds to step 109. In step 109, it is determined whether the reception is complete, and the reception process is continued until the reception is completed. When it is determined in step 109 that reception is complete, the reception flag is set to "0" in step 110, and the process then proceeds to step 111 to process the received data, and then returns to step 101.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In conventional control methods for air conditioners, as the number of connected units increases, transmission and reception are performed more frequently, so the transmission timings of multiple units overlap, making it difficult to perform transmission and reception smoothly. This has resulted in the problem that reliable control operations cannot be obtained.

This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a control method for an air conditioner that avoids synchronization of transmission timing of multiple units and allows smooth transmission and reception. The purpose is to

[Means for solving problems]

In the control method for an air conditioner according to the present invention, an address setting means is provided for each unit, and after completion of transmission and reception, transmission is prohibited for a predetermined time specific to the unit according to the address set by the address setting means. is given priority for transmission.

[For production]

Since the method for controlling an air conditioner according to the present invention sets a transmission prohibition time according to the address set by the address setting means, it is possible to avoid synchronization of transmission timings of multiple units and ensure control operation. It is what it is.

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of this invention will be described below. FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a control system for multiple air conditioners, in which l is a remote controller, a microcomputer 2. Transmission/reception circuit 3゜input circuit 4. Output circuit 5.
It is constituted by address setting means 6. 10a, 1
0b is an indoor controller, which includes microcomputers tta and 11b, and transmitting/receiving circuits 12a and 12b, respectively.
.

Input circuits 13a and 13b, output circuits 14a and 14b, address setting means 15a, l! :15b. 20a and 20b are outdoor controllers,
Microcomputers 20a and 2lb, transmitting/receiving circuits 22a and 22b, input circuits 22a and 23b, output circuits 24a and 24b, and address setting means 25a and 25, respectively.
It is composed of b. 30 is a control line connecting each unit.

Here, since the indoor unit and the outdoor unit function as an air conditioner only when they are paired, the address setting means 15a and 25a, and 15b and 25b are set to the same address, respectively. In addition, the transmitted data from each unit includes data and address data to determine whether the remote controller unit is an indoor unit or an outdoor unit, and the receiving unit cannot determine which unit is transmitting data. It is now possible to do so.

The operation will be explained below according to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. FIG. 2 is a main flowchart for implementing the control method according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a flowchart executed at the time of transmission, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart executed at the time of reception. The transmission and reception processes may be executed by an interrupt or the like. First, when the power is turned on, initial values necessary for operation control are set in step 150, and the address setting means 6゜15a,
By inputting the setting address using 15b, 25a, and 25b, the transmission prohibition time is stored in advance for each unit. Next, by proceeding to step 151, it is determined whether reception is complete, and when reception is complete, proceeding to step 152, where the received data is processed. Next, in step 153, each process is performed for each unit,
In step 154, the reception flag is determined. here,
During reception, the reception flag becomes "1", and when reception is completed, the reception flag becomes 0". When the reception flag is 17, the process returns to step 151, and when it is "0", the process returns to step 15.
Proceeding to step 5, the transmission flag is determined. The transmission flag becomes "1" during transmission, and becomes "0" when transmission is completed. Therefore, when the transmission flag is "1", the process returns to step 151.
O'', the process proceeds to step 156, where it is determined whether the timer is completed.Here, this timer is a timer for counting the transmission prohibited time.

This timer is ticked upon completion of transmission or reception, and step 150 uses the stored data. If the timer has not completed in step 156, the process returns to step 151, and if the timer has completed, the process proceeds to step 158 after processing the transmission data in step 157. Step 158
Then, the transmission flag is set to "1" and the process returns to step 151.

The transmission process in FIG. 3 is executed, for example, by interrupt processing, and when the transmission flag is "0" in step 160, the transmission process is not performed, and when it is "1", the transmission process is executed in step 161. Here, the transmission process is executed until the transmission is completed, but once the transmission is completed, step 162
It is determined that the transmission is complete, and the process proceeds to step 163, where the transmission flag is set to 0''.The process then proceeds to step 164, where the transmission prohibition timer is set, thereby completing the process. is executed, for example, by interrupt processing, and step 170
In step 171, the reception flag is determined, and when the flag is "0", the reception process is not executed, and when it is "1", the process advances to step 171 and the reception process is executed. This reception process is repeatedly executed until reception is completed, but when it is determined in step 172 that reception is complete, the process advances to step 173 and sets the reception flag to "0", and then advances to step 174 to prohibit transmission. Set a timer and finish the process.

The transmission prohibition time differs for each unit, and an example thereof is shown in FIG. Predetermined times To, T+, Tz.

and t and the setting address, the transmission prohibition time for the indoor L unit x the outside unit (remote controller Unison) is T o +n t+ T r +n t+ respectively.
By setting T z + nt, the transmission timing of each unit can be shifted.

In addition, in the above embodiment, a case is shown in which both the remote controller unit, the indoor unit, and the outdoor unit have transmitting/receiving means, but for example, the remote controller unit and the indoor unit are connected by the same control line, and the indoor unit and the outdoor unit The system configuration may be such that an independent control line is used for each unit.

In addition, although the above embodiment describes an air conditioner, it can be applied not only to the air conditioner but also to control other systems, and furthermore, the case where program control using a microcomputer is applied to the control part is shown. It may also be a control circuit configured with hardware.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, in a system in which multiple units are connected and transmission and reception are frequently performed, since a different transmission prohibition time is set for each unit, transmission and reception can be smoothly performed. This has the effect of significantly improving system reliability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration for explaining a method of controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
4 are flowcharts showing the operation of the microcomputer for transmitting and receiving control shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a time chart showing the transmission prohibition time for each unit, and FIG. 6 is a conventional air conditioner control. A block diagram for explaining the method, FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the microcomputer shown in FIG. 1 is a remote controller, 10, 10a. 10b is an indoor controller, 20.20a, 20b are outdoor controllers, 2.11.10a, 11b, 21.2
1a and 21b are microcomputers, 3.12.12
a, 12b are transmitting/receiving circuits, 6° 15a, 15b, 25a
, 25b is address setting means, and 30 is a control line. In addition, in the figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts. Agent: Masuo Oiwa (2 others) Engraving of drawings (no changes to content) N 2 Fig. N 3 Fig. 4 3850!1

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an air conditioner having a remote controller unit, an indoor unit, and an outdoor unit, and at least two of the above units each having a transmitting/receiving means and an address setting means, each of the above units is connected using a control line. When transmitting and receiving control data between the units by the transmitting and receiving means, each unit is prohibited from transmitting for a predetermined time period unique to the unit according to the address set by the address setting means after the transmission and reception is completed. How to control the device.