KR20190080634A - Control method of air-conditioner system - Google Patents

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of controlling an air-conditioner system comprises: a step in which a mobile terminal transmits a signal for requesting a communication performance test to an outdoor unit included in a predetermined group through a wireless communication module; a step in which the outdoor unit transmits a signal indicating a start of the communication performance test to a plurality of indoor units included in a predetermined group; a step in which the outdoor unit broadcasts a plurality of communication performance test signals at predetermined time intervals; a step in which each of the plurality of indoor units responds a signal including communication performance test results for the plurality of communication performance test signals to the outdoor unit; a step in which the outdoor unit transmits the signal including the communication performance test results received from the plurality of indoor units to the mobile terminal; a step in which the mobile terminal displays a screen including the communication performance test results received from the outdoor unit. Accordingly, it is possible to conveniently check the communication performance and determine whether a repeater is necessary.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a control method of an air conditioner system,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner system and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to an air conditioner system capable of communicating wirelessly between units and a control method thereof.

The air conditioner is installed to provide a more comfortable indoor environment to humans by discharging cold air to the room to adjust a room temperature and to purify the room air to create a pleasant indoor environment. Generally, the air conditioner includes an indoor unit which is constituted by a heat exchanger and installed in a room, and an outdoor unit which is constituted by a compressor, a heat exchanger and the like and supplies the refrigerant to the indoor unit.

The outdoor unit and the indoor unit are connected to each other through a refrigerant pipe, and the refrigerant compressed from the compressor of the outdoor unit is supplied to the heat exchanger of the indoor unit through the refrigerant pipe, and the indoor heat exchanger The refrigerant heat-exchanged in the heat exchanger of the indoor unit flows into the compressor of the outdoor unit through the refrigerant pipe again. Accordingly, the indoor unit discharges the cold air into the room through the heat exchange using the refrigerant.

The units in the air conditioner system can be interconnected in units of buildings or small groups to send and receive data, and to monitor and control the status of each unit through data transmitted and received.

For example, the air conditioner system can use a wired communication method in which each unit is connected to a communication line. Generally, the indoor unit transmits data to the outdoor unit, and the outdoor unit receives the data of the indoor unit and transmits the data of the indoor unit to the controller.

As another example, Korean Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 10-2010-0123486 discloses an air conditioner operation state data transmission method in which, in order to solve the inconvenience of connecting the air conditioner operation state data to equipment such as a notebook computer through wired communication, So that the operation of the air conditioner is conveniently monitored.

In the prior art (Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2010-0123486), terminals existing within a predetermined distance from an outdoor unit and an outdoor unit communicate with each other by a wireless communication method, and the operation state data of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are transmitted to the terminal.

In such communication structures, there is a problem in that the indoor unit can not directly communicate with the controller, and the indoor unit must necessarily communicate with the outdoor unit. For example, even when one indoor unit data is required, step-by-step communication through the outdoor unit must be performed, which causes a problem in that the processing speed is slow.

Further, in the related art (Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2010-0123486), it is necessary to additionally install a separate wireless communication module in the outdoor unit, and communication between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit is still performed by wire communication.

In addition, there has been a problem that smooth communication can be performed only within the same floor or within a short distance by Wi-Fi communication between the outdoor unit and the terminal.

Particularly, it is difficult to communicate wirelessly due to the distance between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit in a general installation environment where the outdoor unit is installed in the underground of the building or on the roof, and the signal is attenuated due to obstacles in the building. There is a problem that the quality is deteriorated and the stability of communication is deteriorated accordingly.

In recent years, there has been an increasing tendency to communicate wirelessly between units. There has been an increasing number of cases where a wireless network is configured not only with each unit such as an outdoor unit and a controller but also with other devices such as a mobile terminal.

The devices connected by wireless communication are advantageous in that information of the devices can be checked and controlled without being restricted by the location of the user and the device.

Therefore, there is a need for a wireless communication method suitable for the installation environment of the air conditioner system.

Further, depending on the high-rise building, the large-area building, and other installation environments, a wireless communication shadow area may occur where wireless communication is not performed smoothly. In this case, it may be necessary to install a repeater to solve the shadow area of the wireless communication.

Accordingly, there is a need for a method for determining whether a repeater is required in a wireless communication environment and for efficiently installing a repeater when necessary.

An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner system and a control method thereof that can realize a high-quality wireless communication environment.

An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner system and a control method thereof, which can determine whether a repeater is necessary or not, and to install a repeater efficiently when necessary.

An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner system and a control method thereof, in which units can directly communicate with each other regardless of an installation environment.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioner system capable of monitoring and controlling units in a wireless communication environment and a control method thereof.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method for an air conditioner system, including: transmitting a signal requesting a communication performance test to an outdoor unit included in a predetermined group through a wireless communication module; Transmitting a signal informing the start of a communication performance test to a plurality of indoor units included in a predetermined group; broadcasting the plurality of communication performance test signals at a predetermined time interval; The plurality of indoor units responding to each of the plurality of indoor units with a signal including a communication performance test result for a plurality of communication performance test signals with an outdoor unit, the outdoor unit including a communication performance test result received from the plurality of indoor units And the mobile terminal includes a communication performance test result received from the outdoor unit By including the step of displaying a screen, and make easier the communication performance, it can be determined whether the relay is required.

A control method of an air conditioner system according to an aspect of the present invention includes the steps of transmitting a signal informing the start of individual communication performance test to an indoor unit and an outdoor unit included in a predetermined group through a wireless communication module, The terminal transmits a plurality of communication performance test signals to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit at predetermined time intervals. The indoor unit and the outdoor unit respectively transmit a signal including a result of individual communication performance test for the plurality of communication performance test signals to the mobile terminal And displaying the screen including the result of the individual communication performance test, so that the communication performance can be easily checked and the repeater can be determined.

According to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, a high-quality wireless communication environment can be realized.

In addition, according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to determine whether a repeater is needed, and to install a repeater efficiently if necessary.

In addition, according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioner system and a control method thereof in which units can directly communicate with each other regardless of an installation environment.

Further, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, the units can be monitored and controlled in a wireless communication environment.

Meanwhile, various other effects will be directly or implicitly disclosed in the detailed description according to the embodiment of the present invention to be described later.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a configuration in which an air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed in a building.
2 is a view illustrating the configuration of an air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a diagram referred to the description of communication in an air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a block diagram schematically showing a control configuration of a unit of an air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a block diagram schematically showing a control structure of an indoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a block diagram schematically showing a control configuration of an outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a block diagram schematically showing a control configuration of a wireless communication module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a simplified internal block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a diagram referred to the description of the air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a diagram for explaining a mobile terminal and a wireless communication module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
11 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of an air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
12 to 14 are views referred to the description of the configuration and operation of the air conditioner system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar parts throughout the specification.

The suffix "module" and " part "for components used in the following description are given merely for convenience of description and do not give special significance or role in themselves. Accordingly, the terms "module" and "part" may be used interchangeably.

Also, in this specification, the terms first, second, etc. may be used to describe various elements, but these elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a configuration in which an air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed in a building.

Referring to FIG. 1, the air conditioner system may include an outdoor unit 10, an indoor unit 20, and a controller 50.

The air conditioner system may include a ventilator, an air purifier, a humidifier, a heater, etc., in addition to an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, and may further include units such as a chiller, an air conditioning unit and a cooling tower depending on the scale. The air conditioner system can operate in conjunction with the operation of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. In addition, the air conditioner system may operate in connection with a building, a mobile device, a security device, an alarm device, and the like.

The air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a remote control device capable of monitoring and controlling the operation state of the units remotely.

The remote control device can communicate with other units and sub-devices using the frequency of the band, including the wireless communication module 120, and can monitor other units.

Here, the remote control device may be a controller 50, a wired / wireless remote controller 60, and a mobile terminal 200 that can control one or more units.

The controller 50 controls the operation of the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 in response to an input user command and periodically receives and stores data on the operation statuses of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit corresponding to the user command, It is possible to output the operation state through the < / RTI > The controller 50 can perform operation setting, lock setting, schedule control, group control, peak control for power use, and demand control for the indoor unit 20.

The outdoor unit (10) is connected to the indoor unit (20) by a refrigerant pipe, and supplies the refrigerant to the indoor unit (20). The outdoor unit 10 periodically communicates with the plurality of indoor units 20 to exchange data with each other, and changes the operation according to the operation setting changed from the indoor unit.

The indoor unit 20 includes an electronic expansion valve (not shown) for expanding the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit 10, an indoor heat exchanger (not shown) for exchanging heat of the refrigerant, indoor air introduced into the indoor heat exchanger, (Not shown), a plurality of sensors (not shown), and control means (not shown) for controlling the operation of the indoor unit.

In addition, the indoor unit 20 includes a discharge port (not shown) for discharging the heat-exchanged air, and the discharge port is provided with a wind direction adjusting unit (not shown) for opening and closing the discharge port and controlling the direction of the discharged air. The indoor unit controls the intake air and the air to be discharged by controlling the rotation speed of the indoor fan, and adjusts the air flow rate. The indoor unit 20 may further include an output unit for displaying the operation state and setting information of the indoor unit and an input unit for inputting the setting data. At this time, the indoor unit 20 transmits setting information for the operation of the air conditioner to a connected remote controller (not shown), outputs the setting information through the remote controller, and receives data.

A remote controller (not shown) is connected to the indoor unit through a wired or wireless communication method, inputs a user command to the indoor unit, and receives and outputs data of the indoor unit. The remote controller transmits a user command to the indoor unit according to the connection method with the indoor unit, performs one-way communication not receiving the data of the indoor unit, or performs bidirectional communication to transmit and receive data with the indoor unit.

The outdoor unit 10 operates in a cooling mode or a heating mode in response to data received from the connected indoor unit 20 or a control command of the controller, and supplies the refrigerant to the connected indoor unit.

When a plurality of outdoor units are connected, the outdoor units can be connected to a plurality of indoor units, and the refrigerant can be supplied to the plurality of indoor units through the distributor.

The outdoor unit 10 includes at least one compressor for compressing a refrigerant to discharge a high-pressure gas refrigerant, an accumulator for separating the gas refrigerant and the liquid refrigerant from the refrigerant to prevent the liquid refrigerant, which has not been vaporized, from flowing into the compressor, An oil recovery device for recovering oil in the refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger for condensing or evaporating the refrigerant by heat exchange with the outside air, an outdoor heat exchanger for introducing air into the outdoor heat exchanger to smooth the heat exchange of the outdoor heat exchanger, A four-way valve for changing the flow path of the refrigerant according to the operation mode of the outdoor unit, at least one pressure sensor for measuring the pressure, at least one temperature sensor for measuring the temperature, and an outdoor unit for controlling the operation of the outdoor unit, And a control arrangement for performing communication. The outdoor unit 10 may further include a plurality of sensors, valves, supercoolers, and the like, but a description thereof will be omitted below.

Further, the air conditioner system can transmit and receive data to and from other air conditioners through a network connection such as the Internet. The air conditioner can be connected to an external service center, a management server, a database or the like through the controller, and can communicate with an external terminal connected via a network. The terminal may be connected to at least one of the air conditioner systems to monitor and control the operation of the air conditioner system with the second controller.

The outdoor unit 10, the indoor unit 20, the controller 50 and the like can communicate directly with each other by a predetermined wireless communication method. The outdoor unit 10, the indoor unit 20, the controller 50, And can directly communicate with a mobile terminal or the like in a wireless communication manner. Accordingly, the user can freely monitor the status of each unit through the mobile terminal and control each unit.

The air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of indoor units 20 and at least one outdoor unit 10 that perform wireless communication with each other.

2 is a view illustrating the configuration of an air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, in the air conditioner system according to the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of indoor units 20, a plurality of outdoor units 10, and a controller 50 can transmit and receive data by a wireless communication method.

The outdoor unit 10 is connected to the plurality of indoor units 20 and the refrigerant pipes P1, P2, and P3, respectively, and can transmit and receive data in a wireless communication manner.

The outdoor unit (10) periodically communicates with a plurality of indoor units (20) to exchange data with each other, and changes the operation according to the changed operation setting from the indoor unit. A plurality of outdoor units (10) and a plurality of indoor units (20) can transmit and receive data in a wireless communication manner.

The indoor unit 20 can communicate with the outdoor unit 10 as well as the controller 50 in a wireless communication manner.

The first outdoor unit 10 is connected to the first to third indoor units 21 to 23 through a first refrigerant pipe P1 while the second outdoor unit 12 is connected to the fourth to sixth indoor units 23 to 26 and And the third outdoor unit 13 is connected to the seventh to ninth indoor units 27 to 29 through the third refrigerant pipe P3. For convenience of explanation, it is described that three indoor units are connected to each outdoor unit, but this is merely an example, and it is not limited to the number of indoor units or indoor units shown in the figure.

Refrigerant is supplied from the first outdoor unit 10 to the first to third indoor units as the first outdoor unit 11 operates and the refrigerant is supplied to the fourth to sixth indoor units 23 to 26 by the operation of the second outdoor unit 12. [ And the refrigerant is supplied from the third outdoor unit 13 to the seventh to ninth indoor units 27 through 29 via the third refrigerant pipe P3.

The air conditioner can be grouped on the basis of an outdoor unit, and each group can communicate using a different channel. Since the indoor unit performs heat exchange on the basis of the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit and discharges air of cold and hot, the indoor unit and the outdoor unit connected to the refrigerant pipe can be set as one group.

For example, the first outdoor unit 11 forms a first group and the first to third indoor units 21 to 23 connected to the first refrigerant pipe P1, and the second outdoor unit 12 forms a first group And fourth to sixth indoor units 24 to 26 connected to the piping P2 and the third outdoor unit 13 form the seventh to ninth indoor units 24 to 26 connected to the third refrigerant pipe P3 27 to 29) and a third group. The outdoor unit and the controller can also be grouped according to the installation location. According to the embodiment, the connection state by the refrigerant pipe can be classified based on whether the temperature of the indoor unit changes with the supply of the refrigerant to the outdoor unit by operating the outdoor unit and the indoor unit.

On the other hand, wireless communication can be performed between units included in at least the same group. In addition, the sub-groups may be allocated to groups in which different communication channels are set within a frequency band. That is, communication can be prevented for each group by using different communication channels, thereby preventing a main line phenomenon.

On the other hand, the controller 50 can communicate with the indoor unit 20 or the outdoor unit 10 regardless of the group.

The controller 50 controls the operation of the plurality of indoor units 20 and the outdoor units 10 in response to an input user command and periodically receives and stores data on the operation states of the corresponding indoor units and outdoor units , And outputs the operation state through the monitoring screen.

The controller 50 is connected to the plurality of indoor units 20 to perform operation setting, lock setting, schedule control, group control, peak control for power use, and demand control for the indoor unit. Further, the controller 50 communicates with the outdoor unit to control the outdoor unit and monitor the operation of the outdoor unit.

When a plurality of controllers 50 are provided, data can be transmitted / received through mutual wireless communication, and can be connected to an external controller through an external predetermined network.

When the controller and the plurality of units transmit and receive data in a wireless communication manner, addresses for communication are stored in the controller and each unit. Each address can be assigned by an outdoor unit and a controller.

As described above, the outdoor unit can be grouped with the indoor unit connected to the refrigerant pipe. At this time, the outdoor units can be assigned to the indoor units included in the same group. In addition, even if a group is set around the outdoor unit, it communicates with all the outdoor units and all the indoor units. Accordingly, the controller can assign the central control address to a plurality of units in addition to the address for the group communication. In some cases, the controller may use the address assigned to the outdoor unit and the indoor unit as a central control address, without assigning a separate address.

Each unit of the air conditioner system such as the outdoor unit 10, the indoor unit 20, and the controller 50 can communicate with the mobile terminal 200 wirelessly.

2, an air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention confirms the status of an electronic device (unit) such as an outdoor unit 10, an indoor unit 20, a controller 50, And a mobile terminal 200 capable of controlling and controlling the mobile terminal 200.

The mobile terminal 200 has an application for controlling the air conditioner system, and can check and control the state of the air conditioner system through execution of the application.

The mobile terminal 200 may be, for example, a smart phone 200a, a notebook PC 200b, a tablet PC 200c, or the like, on which an application for an air conditioner system is installed.

3 (a) and 3 (b) illustrate communication between units using wired communication, and FIG. 3 (b) shows communication between units using wired communication. Is a diagram referred to explain communication between units using wireless communication according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3 (a), the air conditioner system is connected to a plurality of units by a communication line. Since a plurality of units have limitations in connection of communication lines, they are not connected to each other one-to-one, but are connected step by step according to the connection form of the communication line.

A plurality of indoor units are connected to one outdoor unit through a communication line, and an outdoor unit is connected to the controller. When a plurality of outdoor units are provided, a plurality of indoor units are connected to the outdoor units based on the connection state of the refrigerant pipes. A plurality of outdoor units are connected to the controller.

The indoor unit transmits data to the outdoor unit, and the outdoor unit transmits the outdoor unit data and the received indoor unit data to the controller. The controller can confirm the operation state of the indoor unit based on the data received from the outdoor unit.

When the controller transmits a control command to the indoor unit, the controller transmits a control command to the outdoor unit connected to the indoor unit, and the outdoor unit transmits the received control command to the corresponding indoor unit.

As described above, in the case of wired communication, data is not transmitted in a one-to-one relationship among a plurality of units, but data is transmitted step by step according to the connection state of the communication line.

Accordingly, since data of the indoor unit can not be directly transmitted, time delay occurs in data transmission. Further, since the outdoor unit needs to process the data of the unit other than the outdoor unit data, the load therefor increases accordingly. In addition, since data of a plurality of indoor units is processed in one outdoor unit, it takes a long time to transfer data according to the number of indoor units connected.

Also, when monitoring the status of the units through the mobile terminal 200, the data of the indoor unit can not be directly transmitted, so that data can be transmitted and received via the controller 50 and the like. Accordingly, the mobile terminal 200 can not freely communicate with each unit of the air conditioner system, and has a limitation that it must communicate with the higher-level controller 50 in order to receive only the corresponding information from the specific unit, have.

3 (b), the outdoor unit 10, the indoor unit 20, the controller 50, and the mobile terminal 200 transmit and receive data using a wireless communication method.

The controller 50 and / or the mobile terminal 200 can request data from the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20, respectively. Based on the data received from the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20, It is possible to judge the operation state of the control unit 10 and judge the abnormality.

As described above, the group is set in the outdoor unit and the indoor unit in consideration of the flow of the refrigerant. However, the communication channel including the controller, the outdoor unit, and the indoor unit may be separately set in addition to the communication channel between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit.

The controller 50 and / or the mobile terminal 200 may set the operation setting of the indoor unit 20 according to the state (temperature or humidity) of the indoor space in which the indoor unit 20 is installed based on the data received from the indoor unit 20 And directly transmits the data according to the operation setting change to the indoor unit. At this time, when the operation setting is changed, the indoor unit transmits the data to the outdoor unit, and accordingly, the outdoor unit also changes the operation.

When the indoor unit 20 is scheduled to perform the operation set at the designated time, the controller 50 can transmit the operation command to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit connected to the indoor unit, and the indoor unit transmits the response to the controller 50 And transmits data on the operation state at predetermined time intervals.

The indoor unit 20 sets the operation corresponding to the data input through the input unit or the data received from the controller 50 and transmits the data to the outdoor unit.

The outdoor unit 10 calculates the data of the received indoor unit and the loads according to the operation states of the plurality of indoor units, and controls the compressor.

The outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 transmit data to the controller 50 at predetermined time intervals and can transmit data regarding a fault or abnormality to the controller 50 irrespective of the occurrence of a failure or abnormality.

4 is a block diagram schematically showing a control configuration of a unit of an air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention may be the unit 100 in the air conditioner system. For example, an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention may be one of an indoor unit unit, an outdoor unit unit, a controller, and a wireless sensor of an air conditioner system.

4, the unit 100 of the air conditioner system includes a driving unit 140, a sensing unit 170, an output unit 160, an input unit 150, a storage unit 130, And a control unit 110 for controlling the control unit.

The unit 100 may include a wireless communication module 120 or may be connected to the wireless communication module 120. The wireless communication module 120 may be embedded in a unit or installed outside the unit.

This configuration is commonly included in each unit 100, and a separate configuration may be added depending on the characteristics of the product.

For example, the indoor unit 20 may include a vane or the like as a wind direction adjusting unit, and may include an indoor fan, a plurality of valves, and an indoor fan driving unit, a valve control unit, and a wind direction control unit.

On the other hand, the outdoor unit 10 may include a compressor, an outdoor fan, and a plurality of valves. Accordingly, the driving unit of the outdoor unit can be divided into a compressor driving unit, an outdoor fan driving unit, and a valve control unit.

Meanwhile, the types, the number, and the mounting positions of the sensors included in the sensing unit 170 may be different depending on the type of the unit.

The storage unit 130 stores control data for controlling the operation of the unit 100, communication data for address setting or group setting for communicating with other units, data transmitted and received externally, operation data generated or detected during operation Is stored. The storage unit 130 stores an execution program for each function of the unit, data for operation control, and data to be transmitted and received.

The storage unit 130 may be various storage devices such as a ROM, a RAM, an EPROM, a flash drive, a hard drive, and the like in hardware.

The input unit 150 includes at least one input means such as a button, a switch, and a touch input means. The input unit 150 applies a user command or predetermined data to the control unit 110 in response to an operation of the input unit. The indoor unit may include a power key, a menu input key, an operation setting key, a temperature control key, an airflow key, a lock key, and the like.

 The output unit 160 may include at least one of a lamp controlled to be turned on or off, an audio output unit having a speaker outputting a predetermined sound, and a display to output an operation state of the unit. The lamp outputs whether or not the unit is operating according to whether the lamp is on, the lighting color, whether it is blinking, and the speaker outputs a predetermined alarm sound and effect sound to output the operation state. The display outputs a menu screen for controlling the unit, and can output an operation message or warning composed of a combination of at least one of a character, a number, and an image.

The sensing unit 170 may include a plurality of sensors. The sensing unit 170 may include a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a gas sensor, a humidity sensor, and a flow rate sensor.

For example, a plurality of temperature sensors are provided to sense the indoor temperature, the outdoor temperature, the indoor heat exchanger temperature, the outdoor heat exchanger temperature, and the piping temperature, and input them to the controller 110. The pressure sensors are respectively installed at the inlet and the outlet of the refrigerant pipe, and measure the pressure of the refrigerant flowing in and the pressure of the refrigerant discharged, respectively, and input them to the controller 110. The pressure sensor can be installed not only in refrigerant piping but also in water pipes.

The driving unit 140 supplies operating power to the control target according to a control command of the controller 110 and controls the driving of the target. As described above, in the case of an outdoor unit, the driving unit 140 may include a compressor driving unit, an outdoor fan driving unit, and a valve control unit for controlling the compressor, the outdoor fan, and the valve, respectively. The driving unit 140 applies operating power to each of the compressor, the outdoor fan, the valve, and the like so that the designated operation is performed as the motor operates.

5 is a block diagram schematically showing a control structure of an indoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the unit 100 is an indoor unit 100a.

5 shows an example of the driving unit 140 of FIG. 4 when the unit 100 is the indoor unit 100a, and description of the same portions as those of FIG. 4 will be omitted.

5, the indoor unit 100a may include a vane driving unit 141a, a fan driving unit 142a, an indoor fan 142b, and at least one vane 141b.

The indoor fan (142b) discharges cold air having been heat-exchanged by the heat exchanger to the room through a discharge port

The fan driving unit 142a controls the driving of the motor for operating the indoor fan 142b. The fan driving unit 142a controls on / off of the indoor fan 142b and controls the indoor fan 142b to operate at a predetermined speed in response to the control signal of the controller 110. [

The vane driver 141a controls the opening and closing of the at least one vane 141b provided at one or more outlets in response to the control signal of the controller 110. [ In addition, the vane driving section 141a controls the opening angle with respect to each of the vanes 141b, thereby changing the direction of the discharged air. The opening angle of the vane 141b is varied by the vane driver 141a to change the direction of air to be discharged. At this time, each outlet may further include a louver for adjusting the wind direction in the left and right direction.

The opening angle can be set within a range of 0 degree to 90 degree angle of each vane 141b, and the opening angle can be changed step by step according to the setting.

The vane driving unit 141a may change the opening angle of each vane 141b in accordance with a control command of the controller 110 and change the opening angle of each vane 141b.

For example, the vane driver 141a can control the opening angle of the vane in five steps within a range of 15 to 75 degrees in units of 15 degrees. The opening angle of the vane 141b may be set in three to nine steps according to the setting. When the swing mode is set, the vane driver 141a can continuously change the opening angle of the vane within the range of 15 degrees to 75 degrees without any step.

6 is a block diagram schematically showing a control structure of an outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the unit 100 is an outdoor unit 100b.

Fig. 6 shows an example of the driving unit 140 of Fig. 4 when the unit 100 is an outdoor unit 100b, and a description of the same parts as those in Fig. 4 will be omitted.

6, the outdoor unit 100b may include a compressor driving unit 143a, a compressor 143b, an outdoor fan 144b, a fan driving unit 144a, a valve control unit 145a, and a valve 145b .

The outdoor fan (144b) supplies the outdoor air to the outdoor heat exchanger through the rotation operation of the fan, so that the heat exchanged cold air is discharged to the outside. The outdoor heat exchanger operates as a condenser during the cooling operation and operates as an evaporator during the heating operation, so that the outdoor fan 144b can discharge the cool air or the heat exchanged in the outdoor heat exchanger to the outside.

The fan driving unit 144a controls the driving of the motor provided in the outdoor fan 144b to control the rotating operation of the outdoor fan. The fan driving unit 144a may operate the outdoor fan 144b at the set rotational speed or stop the operation in response to the control signal of the controller 110. [ The fan driving unit 144a can control the rotation speed of the outdoor fan 144b by applying an operation signal according to the shape of the motor provided in the outdoor fan 144b.

The valve control unit 145a controls the flow rate of the refrigerant or the flow direction of the refrigerant by adjusting the degree of opening or closing of the plurality of valves 145b provided in the outdoor unit. Since the plurality of valves 145b exist at different positions, a plurality of valve driving units may also be provided. The valves may include four-way valves, expansion valves, hot gas valves, and the like.

The compressor 143b compresses and discharges the introduced refrigerant, so that the refrigerant can be circulated from the outdoor unit to the indoor unit. When the low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant flows into the compressor 143b, the compressor 143b can compress the gas refrigerant and discharge gas refrigerant of high temperature and high pressure.

The compressor driving unit 143a controls the operation power supplied to the motor provided in the compressor 143b, and thereby controls the operation frequency of the compressor. The compressor driving unit 143a may include an inverter for controlling the driving of the compressor.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, each unit may include a wireless communication module 120.

The wireless communication module 120 supports at least one wireless communication method and can communicate with other units according to a control command of the controller 110. [ The wireless communication module 120 transmits and receives data to and from the controller, the outdoor unit, and the indoor unit through a designated wireless communication method, and applies the received data to the controller.

The wireless communication module 120 can set an address for communication between the units, convert the data to be transmitted and received, and process the signals. When the wireless communication module 120 starts the operation of the unit, the unit of the same frequency band can be searched through the wireless communication and the connection can be confirmed. The wireless communication module 120 can allocate a temporary address or set a temporary address to be received during initial operation. When the wireless communication module 120 performs the address setting in response to the control command of the controller 110, the wireless communication module 120 may request the product number from the controller 110 and set the address based on the product number. In this case, the product number may be a unique number of the unit, a serial number, a MAC address, and the like.

The control unit 110 controls data input / output through the input unit 150 and the output unit 160, manages data stored in the storage unit 130, and controls transmission / reception of data through the communication unit 200 have. The controller 110 may detect a connection state and a communication state of the communication unit 200 through the connection unit 120 and determine an error.

The control unit 110 may generate a control command to operate according to a request from another unit or a set operation setting, and may apply the control command to the driving unit 140. [ Accordingly, the driving unit 140 is configured to operate the connected components, for example, a compressor, an outdoor fan, a valve, an indoor fan, and a wind direction control unit.

In addition, the controller 110 can determine an operation state corresponding to data input from a plurality of sensors of the sensing unit 170 while the unit is in operation, and can determine an error and output an error.

The wireless communication module 120 may be provided inside the unit 100 or may be connected to the unit 100 through an interface (not shown). The wireless communication module 120 can receive and transmit data of the unit through the interface and apply the received data to the unit.

Preferably, the wireless communication module 120 can wirelessly communicate with a sub-GHz band using a frequency of a sub-GHz band so that the wireless communication module 120 can communicate with an inner wall surface, a floor surface, an obstacle, and the like. The frequency of the sub-band is excellent in the transmission and rotation characteristics, so that the effect of attenuation on the wall or interlayer obstacle is small. Therefore, it is effective for use in communication of an air conditioner system in which a plurality of units are arranged in a building partitioned by a wall.

Meanwhile, in the wireless communication module 120, the sub-band can use frequencies in the 700 MHz band to 900 MHz band. For example, the wireless communication module 120 may communicate according to the 802.15.4g standard (SUN), the 802.11ah standard (WiFi HaLow).

Also, the wireless communication module 120 communicates using any one of the 400 MHz band and the 900 MHz band, which is a license-exempt band that can be used for a small-power wireless station in a band. The wireless communication module 120 may optionally use frequencies in the 400 MHz and 900 MHz band, corresponding to different regulations depending on the region or country.

It is more preferable that the wireless communication module 120 communicate using the frequency band of 900 MHz among the frequency bands described above in consideration of inter-layer communication and antenna length.

According to an embodiment, the wireless communication module 120 may further include a communication module such as Zigbee, Bluetooth, and NFC, which is a short distance communication method.

The wireless communication module 120 may include a plurality of communication modules and may communicate through communication modules that are the same or different from each other in communication with the outdoor unit and other indoor units, with the remote controller, and with the controller. The wireless communication module 120 can communicate with different communication methods depending on the object by selectively changing the communication method corresponding to the communication object.

When the wireless communication module 120 uses different channels for communication with the indoor unit and the controller, the wireless communication module 120 can transmit and receive data by setting a channel according to an object to be communicated.

According to the provisions of the Radio Law of the Republic of Korea, for the frequency band of 400 MHz or 900 MHz, 21 channels of 424.7 MHz to 424.95 MHz, 11 channels of 447.8625 MHz to 447.9875 MHz, There are 32 channels of 917 to 923.5 MHz for wireless facilities such as / USN, so that they can communicate using these channels.

The license-exempt frequency bands for countries are 902 to 928 MHz (FCC Part 15.247) for North America and South America and 433 MHz, 915 MHz, 863 to 868 MHz (ETSIEN 300220), Japan 920 to 928 MHz (ARIB STD- , Korea 424 to 447 MHz, 917 to 923.5 MHz (KC), India 865 to 867 MHz (GSR 564 (E)), Australia 433, 915 MHz, South Africa 433 MHz, worldwide 2.4 GHz and 5.725 GHz are available.

Also, in the case of using 2.4 GHz and 5.725 GHz in the world, 90 to 928 MHz are used in North America and South America, 863 to 868 MHz are used in Europe, 920 to 928 MHz in Japan, 917 to 923.5 MHz in Korea, and 865 to 867 MHz in India. The communication is possible.

Since there are obstacles such as interlayer walls and furniture in a building, it is necessary to use a frequency band that can reach signals over a certain distance while passing through obstacles in the building.

In the case of sub-band and ISM band (100MHz, 200MHz, 400MHz, 900MHz), it is advantageous that inter-layer communication is possible because of its excellent penetration characteristics in buildings. However, the length of the antenna is determined according to the band of the transmission frequency. In the case of the 100 MHz band and the 200 MHz band, since the antenna becomes considerably long, the installation is restricted.

In addition, the antenna length is longer in the 400 MHz band than in the 900 MHz frequency band.

Therefore, it is preferable that the wireless communication module 120 communicate using a frequency band of 900 MHz among the frequency bands described above, in consideration of the inter-layer communication and the antenna length.

The air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of units. For example, the air conditioner system may include one or more outdoor units and a plurality of indoor units.

Also, the units included in the air conditioner system can perform wireless communication with each other.

On the other hand, considering the installation environment of an air conditioner system in which an outdoor unit is disposed in an underground, a rooftop, an outdoor, etc., it is impossible to realize a satisfactory wireless communication between units in a short distance wireless communication such as a WiFi and a Zigbee .

Therefore, the air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention can implement direct / indirect communication between units in various environments such as a home / building through a long-range wireless communication in a sub GHz band.

Considering the installation environment of the air conditioner system, in order to secure the reliability of the communication quality, it is necessary to confirm the wireless communication modulation technique having the reliability that is strong against the communication reliability to the obstacle and the surrounding environment change such as object, It is necessary to apply them.

Further, in order to efficiently use limited radio frequency resources and install a large number of units in one area, it is necessary to increase the communication speed compared to existing long distance wired communication.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wireless communication method and a wireless communication method which can be installed easily at low cost, Long distance wireless communication technology for communication.

To this end, a plurality of units included in the air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a wireless communication module 120 that wirelessly communicates between the plurality of units at a frequency of a sub GHz band .

 7 is a block diagram schematically showing a control configuration of a wireless communication module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

7, the wireless communication module 120 may include an antenna 720, a transmitting unit 740, a receiving unit 730, a processor 710, and an interface 750.

The processor 710 may control the overall operation of the wireless communication module 120.

The processor 710 can control the transmitter 740 to output a predetermined signal through the antenna 720. [

The processor 710 can also control the receiving unit 730 to process the signal received via the antenna 720. [

The antenna 720 may be a PCB antenna having an antenna pattern formed on a printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB antenna has a higher degree of design freedom than other methods, and has the advantage that the radiation pattern is constant by adjusting the amount of ground source.

The transmitting unit 740 includes an encoding unit 741 for encoding a predetermined signal and an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) using a multicarrier signal for encoding the signal encoded by the encoding unit 741 And a modulating unit 742 for modulating the modulated signal.

On the other hand, the antenna 720 can output a signal based on the signal modulated by the modulator 742. [

The predetermined signal is input to the encoding unit 741 as a binary signal. The encoding unit 741 may encode the input signal and output the encoded data streams.

The Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a multi-carrier modulation scheme, which is advantageous for high-speed data transmission and robust against multi-path loss.

The orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is a method of modulating and transmitting a high-speed transmission signal by a narrow-band subcarrier which is orthogonal to several hundreds.

An OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) scheme is a transmission scheme that performs modulation and multiplexing at the same time. The OFDM scheme is a multicarrier modulation technique in that a high-speed source data stream of a single input is divided into multiple carriers and transmitted. Multiplexing technique in terms of simultaneous transmission to the channel.

An OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) system divides a data stream having a high data rate into a large number of data streams having a low data rate and simultaneously transmits them using a plurality of carriers.

Since there is orthogonality between the plurality of carriers, even if the frequency components of the carriers overlap each other, detection at the receiving end is possible.

The OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) scheme has a merit that each subcarrier can be selectively scheduled in a structure in which high-speed data weak to scattered reflection waves is transmitted in parallel with low-speed data strong to reflected waves.

According to an embodiment, the transmitter 740 may further include a multiplexer 743 for multiplexing the modulated signal. Alternatively, the transmitter 740 may further include a serial-to-parallel converter (not shown) for converting the multiplexed signal into a parallel signal. Alternatively, the transmitter 740 may further include a multiplexer 743 and a deserializer.

The deserialization unit may convert a series of symbol strings into parallel.

For example, a data stream having a high-speed data rate is converted into a data stream having a plurality of low data rates through a serial-to-parallel converter, and the plurality of data streams converted into parallel data can be transmitted on subcarriers having mutual orthogonality .

The transmission unit 740 may further include a transmission signal processing unit 745. The transmission signal processing unit 745 can transmit the OFDM modulated signal on the subcarrier through the frequency shift and transmit it through the antenna 720. [

The receiver 730 includes a demodulator 733 for demodulating a signal received from the antenna 720 by the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system and a demodulator 733 for decoding the demodulated signal from the demodulator 733, (Not shown).

The receiving unit 730 may further include a received signal processing unit 731. [ The reception signal processing unit 731 can frequency-shift the carrier wave received from the antenna 720 to extract a plurality of characteristic information.

The receiving unit 730 may further include a parallel to serial converter (not shown), and the parallel signal converted by the parallel / serial converter may be transmitted to the demodulator 733 .

The transmitter 740 may further include an inverse fast Fourier transformer 744 for performing Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) on the modulated signal, and the receiver 730 May further include a Fourier transform unit 732 that performs Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on a signal received from the antenna 720.

 After modulation, the inverse fast Fourier transformed signal may be transmitted via antenna 720, and the signal received via antenna 720 may be demodulated after being fast Fourier transformed.

Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently implement the modulation unit 742 and the demodulation unit 733 in a digital manner. In addition, by performing signal processing in the frequency domain for a channel exhibiting a frequency-selective fading phenomenon, the channel can be simply converted to flat-fading, thereby facilitating signal processing.

The wireless communication module 120 may further include a duplexer (not shown) which is a switching element for connecting the antenna 720 to the transmitting unit 740 or the receiving unit 730. The duplexer is an element that separates time or frequency according to a scheme, and the antenna 720 can be connected to the transmission unit 740 side or to the reception unit 730 side.

Meanwhile, in the wireless communication module 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the frequency of the Sub 1 GHz frequency is 700 MHz to 700 MHz, which is a frequency at which the communication speed is faster than the existing wired communication (9.6 kbps) It is possible to communicate using signals in the 900 MHz band.

More preferably, the wireless communication module 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention can communicate using a signal in the 900 MHz band in consideration of the inter-layer communication and the antenna length.

The length of the antenna 720 is set according to the transmission frequency, and the length needs to be set in consideration of the installation environment. For example, in case of a ceiling type indoor unit, if the length of the antenna is too long, the possibility of installation can be determined depending on the size of the internal space of the ceiling.

Since the antenna 720 has a longer antenna length as the transmission frequency is lower, the frequency should be set in consideration of the length of the antenna among available frequency bands.

Preferably, the antenna length may be? / 2 or? / 4 of the transmission frequency. For example, when the transmission frequency is 447 MHz, the wavelength is 0.67 m. Therefore, when? / 2 is calculated, the length of the antenna is 34 cm and? / 4 is 17 cm. For the 900 MHz band, the antenna length can be about 17 cm for λ / 2 and about 8.5 cm for λ / 4. When the transmission frequency is 2.4 GHZ, the wavelength is 0.12 m, so the length of the antenna is 0.06 m for? / 2 and 0.03 m for? / 4.

Considering the length of the antenna, it is preferable to use the 2.4 GHz band signal. However, in the WiFi or Bluetooth technology using the 2.4 GHz ISM band for the wireless network in the building, There is a strong tendency to be reflected or diffracted by obstacles such as partitions, and there is a limit in reaching the building.

In addition, since the 2.4 GHz band does not require a separate frequency use permission, the number of wireless devices to use it is increasing, and interference between the devices is a problem.

Therefore, it is more preferable that the wireless communication module 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention uses a frequency of 900 MHz band and the length of the antenna 720 is? / 2 or? / 4 of 900 MHz band transmission frequency Do.

According to an embodiment, the antenna 720 may be installed inside the unit. For example, the antenna 720 may not be protruded or attached to the outside, but may be disposed inside the body case of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit.

In particular, the antenna included in the indoor unit may be disposed inside the body case of the indoor unit. As a result, it is possible to prevent the protruded or externally attached antenna from adversely affecting the interior of the room, and enhance the esthetics.

In the air conditioner system, a plurality of units can transmit and receive data in a wireless communication manner. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of units may be distributed over at least two or more layers. For example, the outdoor unit may be disposed on a building roof, and the indoor unit may be disposed on an arbitrary floor within the building. Also, a plurality of indoor units can be distributed and arranged in several layers.

Accordingly, the plurality of units are not installed in a single layer, but are installed in a plurality of layers, respectively, to transmit and receive data. Since there are obstacles such as interlayer structures, walls, and furniture in the building, it is necessary to use a frequency band that can reach signals over a certain distance while passing through obstacles in the building.

The antenna 720 can be selectively used according to the frequency band used among the 700 MHz band to 900 MHz band of the sub-band. Depending on the frequency band used, the shape of the antenna can be changed.

The antenna 720 can transmit a signal output from the transmitting unit 740 to the air, and can receive the signal of the specified frequency band in the air and apply it to the receiving unit 730.

The transmitting unit 740 and the receiving unit 730 can control the output of the signal to be transmitted according to the control command of the processor 710. [ The transmitter 7405 can adjust the output of the signal by controlling the output impedance, that is, the impedance of the antenna 720 to have a set value. The transmitting unit 740 and the receiving unit 730 can adjust the impedance according to the frequency band of signals to be transmitted and received through the antenna 720. [ Impedance matching can use the most popular 50Ω matching method.

According to an embodiment, antenna 720 may be a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna and may increase transmission capacity by transmitting data in parallel via each antenna.

The transmitting unit 740 and the receiving unit 730 are communication modules supporting MIMO, and can perform multiple input / output through a plurality of connected antennas. The transmitting unit 740 transmits data through a plurality of antennas over a plurality of paths, and the receiving unit 730 can detect a signal received through each path.

MIMO is an antenna system capable of spatial multiplexing, space diversity, and beam forming.

Spatial multiplexing is a technique for improving transmission speed by transmitting a plurality of information through a plurality of transmission antennas. Space diversity is a technique for controlling errors by transmitting the same information several times through a plurality of transmission antennas, Beamforming is a technique for reducing interference by transmitting a radio wave in a desired direction.

The wireless communication module 120 may transmit signals using a plurality of antennas via MIMO, and may communicate with each other among a plurality of units distributed in a building or the like as they are received.

The processor 710 can control so that the data of the unit 100 applied through the interface 750 is output as a signal of the designated frequency band to the set output. Processor 710 may also process signals received via antenna 720 and apply them to the unit. In addition, the processor 710 can control the data to be converted into the designated format according to the communication method used.

The interface 750 connects the unit 100 and the communication unit 120. For example, the wireless communication module 120 may be connected to the control unit 110 of the unit 100 via the interface 750, and the wireless communication module 120 may operate under the control of the control unit 110 have.

In the conventional wired communication, a plurality of units are connected in a hierarchical manner according to the connection state of the communication line, not the one-to-one connection of the plurality of units.

Accordingly, since the data of the indoor unit can not be directly transmitted to the controller or the remote control device, a time delay occurs in data transmission.

In addition, the processing load of the outdoor unit is increased, and there is a limit in that it takes a long time to transmit data according to the number of indoor units connected.

Therefore, the units included in the air conditioner system according to the embodiment of the present invention can perform wireless communication with each other.

Preferably, the units included in the air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention can perform mutual wireless communication using a frequency band of a band.

More preferably, the units included in the air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention include a wireless communication module 120 in which a sub-unit performs mutual wireless communication using a frequency band of bands, The communication module 120 may use an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) modulation scheme that includes a PCB antenna that is easy to manage the radiation pattern and is advantageous for gain gain, and has few interchannel interference in multiple channels.

Conventionally, the 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz bands have shortcomings in that the signal intensity is rapidly reduced even if the wall is not allowed to pass through the thick wall or is used for an indoor short distance within about 30 m.

However, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the sub-unit performs wireless communication using the frequency band of the band, so that it can perform communication at a rate of 15 times or more as about 150 Kbps compared to a wired communication speed of about 9.6 Kbps , It is possible to communicate even when there is an interlayer obstacle.

In addition, it is possible to eliminate the work process of connecting the communication line and the communication line, so that the installation cost and installation time can be reduced, and the total cost can be reduced.

8 is a simplified internal block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

8, the mobile terminal 200 includes a wireless communication unit 210, an A / V input unit 220, a user input unit 230, a sensing unit 240, an output unit 250, A memory 260, an interface unit 270, a control unit 280, and a power supply unit 290.

The mobile terminal 200 according to an aspect of the present invention may include a wireless communication module 300 that wirelessly communicates with a plurality of electronic devices. The wireless communication module 300 may have the same internal configuration as the wireless communication module 120 described above.

According to an embodiment, the wireless communication module 300 may be configured as one block of the wireless communication unit 210.

In the case where each unit 100 in the air conditioner system and the sub-unit are wirelessly communicating in the band, the sub-unit can use the wireless communication module 300 that supports wireless communication in the band. It is difficult to realize that all the general-purpose mobile terminals 200 are equipped with the wireless communication module 300 supporting the wireless communication of the sub-band. Therefore, it is preferable to connect the dedicated wireless communication module 300 and use it Do.

In this case, the wireless communication module 300 may be connected through the interface unit 270 or may be connected through the wireless communication unit 210.

The wireless communication unit 210 may include a broadcast receiving module 211, a mobile communication module 213, a wireless Internet module 215, a short distance communication module 217, and a GPS module 219.

The broadcast receiving module 211 may receive at least one of a broadcast signal and broadcast related information from an external broadcast management server through a broadcast channel. At this time, the broadcast channel may include a satellite channel, a terrestrial channel, and the like.

The broadcast signal and / or broadcast related information received through the broadcast receiving module 211 may be stored in the memory 260.

The mobile communication module 213 transmits and receives a radio signal to at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network. Here, the wireless signal may include various types of data according to a voice call signal, a video call signal, or a text / multimedia message transmission / reception.

The wireless Internet module 215 refers to a module for wireless Internet access, and the wireless Internet module 215 can be embedded in the mobile terminal 200 or externally. For example, the wireless Internet module 215 can perform wireless communication based on WiFi or wireless based on WiFi Direct.

The short-range communication module 217 is for short-range communication, and includes Bluetooth ™, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB) (Near Field Communication), Wi-Fi (Wireless-Fidelity), Wi-Fi Direct, and Wireless USB (Wireless Universal Serial Bus) technology.

The short-range communication module 217 may communicate with the mobile terminal 200 and the wireless communication system between the mobile terminal 200 and another mobile terminal 200 or between the mobile terminal 200 and the mobile terminal 200 through wireless local area networks ) And another mobile terminal, or a network in which an external server is located. The short-range wireless communication network may be a short-range wireless personal area network.

The GPS (Global Position System) module 219 may receive position information from a plurality of GPS satellites.

Meanwhile, the wireless communication unit 210 can exchange data with the server using one or more communication modules.

The wireless communication unit 210 may include an antenna 205 for wireless communication, and may include an antenna for receiving broadcast signals in addition to an antenna for communication.

The A / V (Audio / Video) input unit 220 is for inputting an audio signal or a video signal, and may include a camera 221 and a microphone 223.

The user input unit 230 generates key input data that the user inputs for controlling the operation of the terminal. The user input unit 230 may include a key pad, a dome switch, a touch pad (static pressure / static electricity), and the like. In particular, when the touch pad has a mutual layer structure with the display unit 251, it can be called a touch screen.

The sensing unit 240 senses the current state of the mobile terminal 200 such as the open / close state of the mobile terminal 200, the position of the mobile terminal 200, A sensing signal can be generated.

The sensing unit 240 may include a sensing sensor 241, a pressure sensor 243, a motion sensor 245, and the like. The motion sensor 245 can detect the movement or the position of the mobile terminal 200 using an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a gravity sensor, or the like. In particular, the gyro sensor is a sensor for measuring the angular velocity, and it can sense the direction (angle) of rotation about the reference direction.

The output unit 250 may include a display unit 251, an acoustic output module 253, an alarm unit 255, and a haptic module 257.

The display unit 251 displays and outputs information processed by the mobile terminal 200.

Meanwhile, when the display unit 251 and the touch pad have a mutual layer structure to constitute a touch screen, the display unit 251 may be used as an input device capable of inputting information by a user's touch in addition to the output device.

The audio output module 253 outputs audio data received from the wireless communication unit 210 or stored in the memory 260. [ The sound output module 253 may include a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The alarm unit 255 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the mobile terminal 200. For example, it is possible to output a signal in a vibration mode. .

The haptic module 257 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. A typical example of the haptic effect generated by the haptic module 257 is a vibration effect.

The memory 260 may store a program for processing and controlling the control unit 280 and may store a function for temporarily storing input or output data (e.g., a phone book, a message, a still image, .

The interface unit 270 serves as an interface with all the external devices connected to the mobile terminal 200. The interface unit 270 may receive data from the external device or supply power to the respective components in the mobile terminal 200 and may transmit data in the mobile terminal 200 to the external device .

The control unit 280 typically controls the operation of the respective units to control the overall operation of the mobile terminal 200. For example, perform related controls and processing for voice calls, data communications, video calls, and the like. In addition, the control unit 280 may include a multimedia playback module 281 for multimedia playback. The multimedia playback module 281 may be configured in hardware in the controller 280 or separately from software in the controller 280. [

The power supply unit 290 receives external power and internal power under the control of the controller 280 and supplies power necessary for operation of the respective components.

8 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. Each component of the block diagram may be integrated, added, or omitted depending on the specifications of the mobile terminal 200 actually implemented.

That is, two or more constituent elements may be combined into one constituent element, or one constituent element may be constituted by two or more constituent elements, if necessary. In addition, the functions performed in each block are intended to illustrate the embodiments of the present invention, and the specific operations and apparatuses do not limit the scope of the present invention.

9 is a diagram referred to the description of the air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

9, an air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an indoor unit 20, an outdoor unit 10, a remote controller 60, a wireless sensor 80, and a mobile terminal 200 .

Further, the air conditioner system may further include units such as a controller, a ventilator, a defrosting device, a humidifier, and a heater.

The remote controller 60 can be connected to the indoor unit 20 or the outdoor unit 10 by wire to transmit a control signal, but more preferably, can communicate wirelessly.

1 to 8, the mobile terminal 200 and the controller (see 50 in FIG. 1) are wirelessly connected to units such as the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 to control each unit have.

The indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 can transmit the requested data information when requested by the mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50. [ The indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 can transmit the contents of the data information to be transmitted differently according to the contents of the request of the mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50. [

The indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 receive control signals from the mobile terminal 200 and the controller 50. The indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 may report to the mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50 that the control unit 50 has received the control signal when receiving the control signal from the mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50, But it may vary depending on the communication method adopted by the air conditioner system.

When the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 receive the control signal, the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 can perform the corresponding operation. The indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 may receive a storage period or a storage period for storing a data signal including a driving state from the mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50. [ The indoor unit (20) and the outdoor unit (10) can store data information in the case of a periodic or error occurrence.

The indoor unit (20) and the outdoor unit (10) can extend the storage period of recently stored data information when an error occurs. The indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 may include a storage medium for storing data information. For example, the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 may periodically store data information, and if an error occurs, the data information stored recently may be stored separately from other information, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The data information may include an operating state of the indoor unit (20) or the outdoor unit (10). For example, the data information may include, but is not limited to, air temperature, condensation temperature, evaporation temperature, discharge temperature, heat exchanger temperature, etc., Information.

The indoor unit 20 or the outdoor unit 10 can transmit data information including the operating state to the mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50. [ The indoor unit 20 or the outdoor unit 10 can transmit the ON / OFF state or the operation state to the mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50 when the error or the ON state is changed. The indoor unit 20 or the outdoor unit 10 can communicate with the mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50 at the time of occurrence of the event or at a predetermined period.

The mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50 can receive the detailed cycle data capable of diagnosing faults for each unit in real time and display it on the screen.

The mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50 transmits the data information of the indoor unit 20, the data information of the outdoor unit 10, the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10, The valve information of the piping to be connected can be displayed.

According to an embodiment, when the mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50 displays the valve information, the opening or closing of the valve may be displayed in a color or a picture. For example, the mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50 may display a blue color when the valve is opened, a gray color when the valve is closed, or a shape of the opening or closing of the valve, It is not limited to the kind.

When the mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50 displays the data information in a time-series image, the user can select the outdoor unit 10 or the indoor unit 20 to be displayed.

When the mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50 selects the outdoor unit 10 to be displayed among the plurality of outdoor units 10, the indoor unit 20 to be checked among at least one indoor unit 20 connected to the selected outdoor unit 10 You can choose.

When the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are selected, the mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50 controls the operation of the selected indoor unit 20 and the connection of the selected indoor unit 20 and the selected indoor unit 20, Data information can be received. The connection state may include, but is not limited to, a connection state of a pipe, a flow in a pipe, on / off of a valve, and the like.

The mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50 can display the operating states of the selected outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 in a time-series manner by changing the picture or changing the color. The mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50 may display a piping state or a valve state connecting the selected outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20. [

The mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50 can confirm the operation state of the indoor unit 20 or the outdoor unit 10 in real time. The mobile terminal 200 or the controller 50 can receive the data information in real time and display the received data information when checking the operation status of the indoor unit 20 or the outdoor unit 10 in real time.

The wireless sensor 80 senses the air condition and can transmit air condition data corresponding to the sensed air condition.

The air condition may be a concept including at least one of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, amount of dust, amount of carbon dioxide, and amount of oxygen. Accordingly, the wireless sensor 80 can measure at least one of temperature, humidity, air pressure, amount of dust, amount of carbon dioxide, and amount of oxygen.

The air condition data may include data on at least one of temperature, humidity, air pressure, amount of dust, amount of carbon dioxide, and amount of oxygen.

The wireless sensor 80 may transmit air state data in a broadcast manner. The broadcast method may be a method of transmitting data without specifying a reception object. The wireless sensor 80 can save the energy, operation, and parts necessary to set the receiving destination of the data by transmitting the air condition data to the specific communication network without specifying the receiving object.

The air condition data broadcasted by the wireless sensor 80 may be transmitted to the outdoor unit 100 or the indoor unit 200.

The air condition data broadcast by the wireless sensor 80 may also be transmitted to the controller 50 or the mobile terminal 200. [

Depending on the embodiment, the wireless sensor 80 may equally include the wireless communication module 120 described above.

The wireless sensor 80 may transmit the sensing data to at least one of the plurality of units, including the wireless communication module 120. [

Alternatively, one or more wireless sensors (80) for transmitting sensing data to at least one unit among the plurality of units may include a coding unit for coding a predetermined signal, an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing A modulator for modulating in accordance with a method, an antenna pattern formed on a printed circuit board (PCB), and one or more antennas for outputting a signal based on the modulated signal.

That is, the wireless sensor 80 according to the embodiment of the present invention can transmit the sensing data by including the remaining configuration of the wireless communication module 120 except for the receiving unit 730.

The indoor unit (20) or the outdoor unit (10) can perform the appropriate air conditioning operation based on the received air condition data.

The indoor unit 20 or the outdoor unit 10 can operate in accordance with a control signal received from the controller 50 or the mobile terminal 200. [

As shown in FIG. 9, when the units in the air conditioner system are wirelessly connected, the installation cost and the installation time can be significantly reduced compared with the case of connecting the units by wire.

Further, since it is possible to communicate with and directly control the control target unit without going through a specific unit such as the controller 50 for information confirmation and control of any one unit, there is an advantage in terms of communication time and ease of use.

The units included in the air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a wireless communication module 120 in which a sub-unit performs wireless communication with each other using a frequency band of a band. In addition, the wireless communication module 120 can use an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) modulation method that includes a PCB antenna that is easy to manage the radiation pattern and is advantageous in gain gain, have.

Accordingly, even in a general air conditioner system installation environment in which outdoor units are installed in the basement of the building or installed on the roof, and the units are distributed and arranged, obstacles such as layers and walls are present between the units, Can be smoothly performed.

On the other hand, depending on the high-rise building, the large-area building, and other installation environments, a wireless communication shadow area where wireless communication is not performed smoothly may occur. In this case, it may be necessary to install a repeater capable of retransmitting the received radio signal to resolve the shadow area of the radio communication.

On the other hand, structures may be added or changed in a building where the air conditioner system is installed. The wireless communication environment may also be changed depending on the addition or modification of the structure. Accordingly, although the wireless communication performance is good at the time of installation, the wireless communication performance can be greatly reduced without any special trouble during use.

Accordingly, there is a need for a method for determining whether a repeater is required in a wireless communication environment and for efficiently installing a repeater when necessary.

1 to 9, an air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of units, and the plurality of units may be an outdoor unit, an indoor unit, a mobile terminal, or the like. have.

10 is a diagram for explaining a mobile terminal and a wireless communication module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The mobile terminal 200 can use the wireless communication module 300 that supports the wireless communication of the band in the sub-unit when each unit 100 in the air conditioner system and the sub-unit wirelessly communicate with the band.

It is difficult to realize that all the general-purpose mobile terminals 200 are equipped with the wireless communication module 300 supporting the wireless communication of the sub-band. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10A, 300 are preferably used in combination.

In this case, the wireless communication module 300 may be connected through the interface unit 270 of the mobile terminal 200. For example, the mobile terminal 200 and the wireless communication module 300 may be connected through an OTG-USB cable 301.

Accordingly, the mobile terminal 200 can transmit and receive signals to and from units such as an outdoor unit and an indoor unit in the air conditioner system through the wireless communication module 300.

The mobile terminal 200 can receive the communication performance test result from the outdoor unit or the indoor units and display the screen including the communication performance test result.

Also, the operator can directly perform the communication performance test with the specific unit using the mobile terminal 200 connected to the wireless communication module 300, and can display the screen including the communication performance test result.

Meanwhile, since the wireless communication module 300 considerably includes the same hardware configuration as the wireless repeater, it can be set as a repeater through software setting.

The operator can confirm the result of the communication performance test and, if necessary, set the wireless communication module 300 as a repeater by separating the wireless communication module 300 from the mobile terminal 200 as shown in FIG. 10 (b).

In this case, the wireless communication module 300 can be used in connection with a power cable 302 for receiving power from a commercial power source.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in an air conditioner system in which a sub-band performs sub-GHz radio communication, a communication signal sensitivity of each unit of a communication section is measured through the mobile terminal 200 and the wireless communication module 300 Can be measured.

The communication performance between the units is tested through the mobile terminal 200 and the wireless communication module 300 so that the wireless communication module 300 can be easily switched to the repeater when the wireless relay module 300 is needed Can be used.

Thus, the wireless communication performance of the current air conditioner system can be confirmed easily and quickly. For example, a user such as an operator should check the communication performance (success rate) of each unit wireless communication section with a visual indicator when it is necessary to check whether communication is good when many units are wirelessly connected to a building such as a building or an apartment When a communication error occurs, when it is necessary to check the cause of the problem, when the wireless repeater is required according to the condition, the communication performance can be immediately tested and the result can be confirmed.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, when it is intended to visually confirm the receiving sensitivity of communication between units included in the same group using the same wireless communication channel, or to check the degree of interference between units using another or the same wireless channel , The communication performance can be tested and the result can be confirmed.

If a wireless repeater is needed according to the situation, the wireless communication module 300 can be used as a repeater.

As a result, immediately after confirming the communication performance, it is possible to quickly and effectively remove the shaded area of the wireless communication, thereby reducing the cost and time for installing a separate repeater.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of an air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 12 to 14 illustrate a configuration and operation of an air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig.

Referring to FIG. 11, the outdoor unit 10a connected to the refrigerant pipe and the plurality of indoor units 20a ... 20n may be set to a predetermined group. The predetermined group may include one outdoor unit 10a and N indoor units from indoor unit 1 (20a) to indoor unit N (20n).

As described with reference to Figs. 1 to 10, the outdoor unit 10a and the plurality of indoor units 20a ... 20n included in the predetermined group are arranged in a manner such that the sub- Communication can be performed.

The outdoor unit 10a and the plurality of indoor units 20a ... 20n included in the predetermined group can wirelessly communicate with the mobile terminal 200 using a frequency of a sub GHz band .

Referring to FIG. 11, the mobile terminal 200 may transmit a signal for requesting a communication performance test to the outdoor unit 10a included in a predetermined group through the wireless communication module 300 (S1110).

Correspondingly, the outdoor unit 10a can perform a communication performance test with a plurality of indoor units 20a ... 20n included in the same group.

The outdoor unit 10a can broadcast a plurality of communication performance test signals at predetermined time intervals (S1130).

For example, the outdoor unit 10a may sequentially broadcast 100 first to 100th test signals according to a predetermined time interval.

That is, the outdoor unit 10a can output a plurality of test signals in a broadcast manner.

The broadcast method may be a method of transmitting data without specifying a reception object. The outdoor unit 10a can save the energy, operation, and time necessary to set the receiving destination of the data by transmitting the air condition data to the specific communication network without specifying the receiving object.

For example, when the unicast method is used for the outdoor unit 10a to transmit 100 communication performance test signals to the N indoor units 20a ... 20n, N * 100 = 100N signal transmission is required.

However, when the outdoor unit 10a uses the broadcast system to transmit 100 communication performance test signals to the N indoor units 20a ... 20n, only 100 signal transmissions are required.

Each of the plurality of indoor units 20a to 20n receiving the first to the hundredth test signals may respond to the outdoor unit with a signal including a communication performance test result for the plurality of communication performance test signals (S1140) .

For example, each of the indoor units 20a ... 20n may receive a communication performance test signal for a predetermined number of times, for example, 100 times, without transmitting a response signal every time a communication performance test signal is received Afterwards, the test results can be synthesized, and the test results can be transmitted in a single response signal.

Accordingly, transmission of the response signal can be reduced by 100 times to 1 time.

Since the outdoor unit 10a also receives signals only as many as the number of the indoor units 20a ... 20n, the communication load can be greatly reduced.

The communication performance test result for the plurality of communication performance test signals may include the communication success rate and the reception sensitivity for the plurality of test signals.

On the other hand, the communication success rate can be evaluated as the number of successes of communications with respect to the number of the predetermined test signals. For example, when 100 test signals are set as the number of test signals, if 90 test signals are received in a predetermined indoor unit, the communication success rate may be 90%.

Also, since the reception sensitivity may be a strength value of a signal received in each indoor unit, and a plurality of test signals are received, an average value of the intensity values of the received signals may be used in the test result.

On the other hand, if the communication performance test result has a value lower than the reference value for the communication success rate and the reception sensitivity, the operator can determine that the repeater is necessary because it does not satisfy the predetermined criteria.

Further, if the communication performance test result has a value equal to or greater than a reference value for the communication success rate and the reception sensitivity, it can be determined that the relay base station satisfies predetermined criteria and the repeater is unnecessary.

According to the embodiment, the outdoor unit 10a may transmit a signal notifying the start of the communication performance test to a plurality of indoor units 20a ... 20n included in the predetermined group (S1120).

Thus, the plurality of indoor units 20a ... 20n can prepare a communication performance test and respond to test results corresponding to all the test signals after completion of reception of the predetermined number of times test signals.

In addition, the outdoor unit 10a can also reduce the number of signal transmissions by broadcasting a signal indicating the start of the communication performance test.

Meanwhile, the outdoor unit 10a may transmit a signal including the communication performance test result received from the plurality of indoor units 20a to 20n to the mobile terminal 200 (S1150). The mobile terminal 200 can receive a signal including the communication performance test result transmitted from the outdoor unit 10a through the wireless communication module 300. [

Meanwhile, the mobile terminal 200 may display a screen including the communication performance test result received from the outdoor unit 10a (S1160).

The operator can determine that the repeater is not necessary if the displayed communication performance test result has a value that is equal to or greater than a reference value for the communication success rate and the reception sensitivity.

Further, if the displayed communication performance test result has a value lower than the reference value for the communication success rate and the reception sensitivity, the operator can determine that the repeater is necessary because the operator does not satisfy the predetermined criteria.

12 illustrates a screen including a communication performance test result displayed by a predetermined mobile terminal 200a.

The mobile terminal 200 may provide a user interface screen related to the air conditioner system through the display unit 251. [

12, the screen including the communication performance test result may include a unit item 1210, a test result item 1221, 1222, 1223, 1224, a repeater setting item 1240, and the like.

The unit item 1210 may include device information and MAC address information of a unit designated as a reference of the communication performance test. Further, the unit item 1210 may include group identification information when a specific group is selected.

Depending on the embodiment, detailed information related to the item to be selected, command execution results, etc. may be displayed in the unit item 1210.

The test result items 1221, 1222, 1223, and 1224 correspond to test results for a plurality of units, and the repeater setting item 1240 is an item that allows the wireless communication module 300 to be set as a repeater.

Each test result item 1221, 1222, 1223, 1224 may include character and / or graphical objects 1221a, 1222a, 1223a, 1224a indicating the communication success rate of the unit.

Each of the test result items 1221, 1222, 1223, and 1224 may include characters and / or graphic objects 1221b 1222b, 1223b, and 1224b indicating the receiving sensitivity of the unit.

For example, if the number of successful communications is 99% or more green, 95% or more is yellow, and less than 95% is red, a graphical object similar to the traffic signal provides an intuitive user experience .

In addition, if the received signal strength is -85 dBm or more, it is possible to provide an intuitive user experience with a graphical object similar to a signal with green (Green), -95 dBm or more, yellow (Yellow), or less than -95 dBm .

The necessity of the repeater can be determined by whether or not the result of the communication performance test satisfies a predetermined criterion.

For example, a repeater setting criterion may be set such that the communication success rate is 99% or more and the receiving sensitivity is -85 dbm or more.

Referring to FIG. 12, if the green traffic light is not turned on at any one of the communication success rate and the reception sensitivity, it can be determined that a repeater is necessary. Therefore, the operator can quickly and intuitively determine whether or not the repeater is necessary without confirming a specific numerical value.

On the other hand, according to the embodiment, the screen including the communication performance test result may further include a scan item 1230. [ When the scan item 1230 is selected, the user can easily identify a unit near the current position by scanning and displaying a unit existing within a predetermined distance from the mobile terminal 200. [

Referring to FIG. 12, since the test result item 1224 corresponding to the fourth indoor unit (IDU4) does not satisfy the predetermined criterion, it can be determined that the repeater installation is necessary.

Accordingly, the operator can set the wireless communication module 300 as a repeater (S1170). Accordingly, if it is determined that a repeater is required, the wireless communication module 300 may be set as a repeater for retransmitting the wireless signal received from the outdoor unit 10a (S1170). As a result, immediately after confirming the communication performance, it is possible to quickly and effectively remove the shaded area of the wireless communication, thereby reducing the cost and time for installing a separate repeater.

Alternatively, according to the embodiment, the individual communication performance test may be performed on the basis of the wireless communication module 300 without setting the wireless communication module 300 as a repeater, have.

Accordingly, when a repeater is installed at a specific position, the wireless communication performance can be immediately checked, and the portable wireless communication module 300 can be set as a repeater after finding the optimum position.

Meanwhile, the individual communication performance test can be performed between the outdoor unit 10a, the mobile terminal 200, and a specific indoor unit.

For example, after the mobile terminal 200 transmits a signal for notifying the start of the individual communication performance test to any one indoor unit and the outdoor unit 10a of the plurality of indoor units 20a ... 20n, The performance test signal can be transmitted to any one of the indoor units and the outdoor units 10a at predetermined time intervals.

Each of the indoor units and the outdoor units 10a may respond to the mobile terminal with a signal including a result of individual communication performance test for the plurality of communication performance test signals, , A screen including the individual communication performance test result can be displayed.

After confirming the result of the individual communication performance test, the operator sets the wireless communication module 300 as a repeater for retransmitting the wireless signal received from the outdoor unit 10a, and may install the wireless communication module 300 at the corresponding position .

Fig. 13 shows an example in which a communication performance test is performed based on an outdoor unit.

Referring to FIG. 13, the mobile terminal 200 may request a communication performance test to the first group of outdoor units 10a through the wireless communication module 300 (S1310).

The outdoor unit 10a may transmit the communication performance test signal 100 times to the indoor units 20a, 20b, and 20c corresponding to the first group (S1320).

Preferably, the outdoor unit 10a outputs a communication performance test signal in a broadcast manner, thereby reducing the number of signal transmissions.

Further, by using the broadcast method, time can be saved than by checking the communication performance of each unit by unicast, and each unit is tested with the same test condition (test time jamming radio wave, etc.) .

The first indoor unit 20a can transmit a signal including the communication performance test result corresponding to 100 communication performance test signals to the outdoor unit 10a (S1331).

Also, the second indoor unit 20b can transmit a signal including the communication performance test result corresponding to 100 times of the communication performance test signal to the outdoor unit 10a (S1332).

Also, the third indoor unit 20c can transmit a signal including the communication performance test result corresponding to 100 times of the communication performance test signal to the outdoor unit 10a (S1333).

The communication performance test result may include a communication success rate of each indoor unit and a received signal intensity average value.

Meanwhile, the communication performance test result collected at the outdoor unit 10a may be transmitted to the mobile terminal 200 (S1340).

In addition, the mobile terminal may display a user interface screen including the received communication performance test result.

The operator can confirm the result of the communication performance test and, if necessary, disconnect the wireless communication module 300 from the mobile terminal 200 and set it as a repeater.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the communication performance test is performed with the wireless communication module 300 in an interval in which the wireless communication between the units is not good, and it is confirmed that the communication performance between the peripheral units is improved, The module 300 can be used as a repeater.

Fig. 14 shows an example of performing individual communication performance tests.

According to the embodiment, the individual communication performance test can be performed to select the repeater installation position after conducting the communication performance test based on the outdoor unit.

Or, depending on the embodiment, individual communication performance tests can be performed independently, depending on the needs of the operator. For example, the individual communication performance test can be performed when the sensitivity of the radio signal of a specific indoor unit is lowered or a communication error occurs.

14, the mobile terminal 200 is connected to a first group of outdoor units 10a and at least one of indoor units 20a, 20b, and 20c corresponding to the first group through the wireless communication module 300 20c to initiate individual communication performance tests.

For example, when the operator wants to confirm the communication performance of the third indoor unit 20c and the necessity of the repeater, the operator performs an individual communication performance test between the mobile terminal 200, the outdoor unit 10a, and the third indoor unit 20c You can start.

The mobile terminal 200 can transmit a predetermined number of communication performance test signals to the third indoor unit 20c and the outdoor unit 10a (S1410 and S1420).

The mobile terminal 200 can transmit a plurality of communication performance test signals to the third indoor unit 20c and the outdoor unit 10a at predetermined time intervals.

The third indoor unit 20c and the outdoor unit 10a may respond to the mobile terminal 200 with a signal including the result of the individual communication performance test for the plurality of communication performance test signals S1415 and S1425, .

Individual communication performance test results for a plurality of communication performance test signals may include communication success rate and reception sensitivity for the plurality of test signals.

For example, the mobile terminal 200 may transmit a test signal 100 times to the third indoor unit 20c (S1410), and may receive a test result of 100 test signals (S1415).

In addition, the mobile terminal 200 may transmit a test signal 100 times to the outdoor unit 10a (S1420) and receive a test result of 100 test signals (S1425).

Meanwhile, the mobile terminal 200 may display a screen including the results of the individual communication performance tests received from the outdoor unit 10a and the third indoor unit 20c.

The operator can confirm the result of the individual communication performance test and set the wireless communication module 300 as a repeater which retransmits the wireless signal received from the outdoor unit 10a, if necessary.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in an air conditioner system in which a sub-band performs sub-GHz radio communication, a communication signal sensitivity of each unit of a communication section is measured through the mobile terminal 200 and the wireless communication module 300 Can be measured.

The communication performance between the units is tested through the mobile terminal 200 and the wireless communication module 300 so that the wireless communication module 300 can be easily switched to the repeater when the wireless relay module 300 is needed Can be used.

According to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, a high-quality wireless communication environment can be realized.

In addition, according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to determine whether a repeater is needed, and to install a repeater efficiently if necessary.

In addition, according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioner system and a control method thereof in which units can directly communicate with each other regardless of an installation environment.

Further, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, the units can be monitored and controlled in a wireless communication environment.

The configurations and methods of the embodiments described above are not limitedly applied to the electronic device (unit), the wireless communication module, the remote control device, and the air conditioner system according to the present invention, All or some of the embodiments may be selectively combined.

Meanwhile, an electronic apparatus (unit), a wireless communication module, a remote control device, and a control method of an air conditioner system according to an embodiment of the present invention are implemented as a code readable by a processor in a recording medium readable by a processor It is possible. The processor-readable recording medium includes all kinds of recording apparatuses in which data that can be read by the processor is stored. Examples of the recording medium that can be read by the processor include a ROM, a RAM, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, an optical data storage device, and the like, and may also be implemented in the form of a carrier wave such as transmission over the Internet . In addition, the processor-readable recording medium may be distributed over network-connected computer systems so that code readable by the processor in a distributed fashion can be stored and executed.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, It should be understood that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

10: outdoor unit
20: indoor unit
50:
100: Electronic device (unit)
120, 300: wireless communication module
200: mobile terminal

Claims (13)

Transmitting a signal for requesting a communication performance test to an outdoor unit included in a predetermined group through a wireless communication module;
Transmitting a signal notifying the start of the communication performance test to the plurality of indoor units included in the predetermined group;
The outdoor unit broadcasting a plurality of communication performance test signals at predetermined time intervals;
The plurality of indoor units each responding to the outdoor unit with a signal including a communication performance test result for the plurality of communication performance test signals;
The outdoor unit transmitting to the mobile terminal a signal including a communication performance test result received from the plurality of indoor units; And
And displaying the screen including the communication performance test result received from the outdoor unit by the mobile terminal. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the communication performance test results for the plurality of communication performance test signals include communication success rate and reception sensitivity for the plurality of test signals. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the step of transmitting a signal notifying the start of the communication performance test to the plurality of indoor units included in the predetermined group broadcasts a signal notifying the start of the communication performance test Way. The method according to claim 1,
And setting the wireless communication module as a repeater for retransmitting the wireless signal received from the outdoor unit. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising the step of the mobile terminal transmitting a signal informing the start of the individual communication performance test to any of the indoor units and the outdoor units of the plurality of indoor units. 6. The method of claim 5,
The mobile terminal transmitting a plurality of communication performance test signals to the one indoor unit and the outdoor unit at predetermined time intervals;
Wherein the one indoor unit and the outdoor unit each respond to a signal including an individual communication performance test result for the plurality of communication performance test signals to the mobile terminal. The method according to claim 6,
Further comprising the step of the mobile terminal displaying a screen including the result of the individual communication performance test. 8. The method of claim 7,
And setting the wireless communication module as a repeater for retransmitting the wireless signal received from the outdoor unit. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the mobile terminal, the outdoor unit, and the plurality of indoor units wirelessly communicate using a frequency of a sub GHz band. Transmitting a signal notifying the start of the individual communication performance test to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit included in the predetermined group through the wireless communication module;
The mobile terminal transmitting a plurality of communication performance test signals to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit at predetermined time intervals;
The indoor unit and the outdoor unit each responding to the mobile terminal with a signal including an individual communication performance test result for the plurality of communication performance test signals; And
And displaying the screen including the result of the individual communication performance test by the mobile terminal. 11. The method of claim 10,
And setting the wireless communication module as a repeater for retransmitting the wireless signal received from the outdoor unit. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the individual communication performance test results for the plurality of communication performance test signals include communication success rate and reception sensitivity for the plurality of test signals. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the mobile terminal, the outdoor unit, and the plurality of indoor units wirelessly communicate using a frequency of a sub GHz band.

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