WO2020171390A1

WO2020171390A1 - Unitary system and communication kit for interlocking operation of unitary system

Info

Publication number: WO2020171390A1
Application number: PCT/KR2020/000782
Authority: WO
Inventors: Beomsoo Seo; Jiun Sohn; Pilhyun Yoon
Original assignee: Lg Electronics Inc.
Priority date: 2019-02-21
Filing date: 2020-01-16
Publication date: 2020-08-27
Also published as: KR20200102247A; KR102173826B1

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a communication kit that enables an interlocking operation of a unitary system. The communication kit can include an indoor temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of an indoor space, a contact signal receiver configured to receive an on signal or an off signal from a thermostat or an indoor unit, and a controller configured to calculate a desired temperature based on an indoor temperature sensed by the indoor temperature sensor and a signal received by the contact signal receiver.

Description

UNITARY SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATION KIT FOR INTERLOCKING OPERATION OF UNITARY SYSTEM

The present disclosure relates to a unitary system and a communication kit for an interlocking operation of the unitary system.

In general, unitary systems are a type of centralized air-conditioning systems that make cold air or warm air by using air-conditioning apparatuses provided in basements of factories, offices, hotels, homes, or the like and transfer and supply the cold air or the warm air to individual spaces through ducts provided in walls of buildings.

In unitary systems, a zone controller is installed in the middle of a duct so as to separate a zone that requires air conditioning and a zone that does not require air conditioning and independently supply cold air or warm air to each individual zone, or a plurality of air conditioning mechanisms are independently installed according to the number of zones.

Unitary systems may include an outdoor unit installed outside buildings, an indoor unit installed in the basements or ceilings of buildings, and a thermostat. The thermostat is a temperature regulator and may be installed indoors. A user may set a temperature of an indoor space through the thermostat, and the thermostat may transmit an on/off signal to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit such that the temperature of the indoor space maintains the set temperature.

Meanwhile, the thermostat may be difficult to interlock with the indoor unit or the outdoor unit. For example, a manufacturing company of the thermostat may be different from a manufacturing company of the indoor unit or the outdoor unit. In this case, the thermostat may not interlock with the indoor unit or the outdoor unit.

When the indoor unit or the outdoor unit does not interlock with the thermostat, it is impossible to know the temperature set by the thermostat, and an on/off operation must be repeated through the on/off signal received from the thermostat. For example, in the case of an inverter outdoor unit, energy can be saved by controlling a cooling/heating output in response to a set temperature. However, the set temperature is not known and thus an energy saving effect is reduced. Frequent on/off operations may reduce a user's comfort.

The present disclosure provides a communication kit that enables an interlocking operation of a unitary system.

A communication kit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises an indoor temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of an indoor space, a contact signal receiver configured to receive an on signal or an off signal from the thermostat or the indoor unit, and a controller configured to calculate a desired temperature based on an indoor temperature sensed by the indoor temperature sensor and a signal received by the contact signal receiver.

The controller is configured to calculate the desired temperature by adding a set temperature to the indoor temperature sensed by the indoor temperature sensor.

The controller is configured to acquire a thermostat contact state based on the signal received by the contact signal receiver and calculate the desired temperature when the thermostat contact state is on.

The contact signal receiver is configured to receive an on signal or an off signal for a cooling operation and an on signal or an off signal for a heating operation, and the controller is configured to set the set temperature to a negative value when the on signal or the off signal for the cooling operation is received, and set the set temperature to a positive value when the on signal or the off signal for the heating operation is received.

The desired temperature is a temperature predicted to be set in the thermostat through the temperature control command.

The controller is configured to acquire whether the thermostat contact state is changed, when the thermostat contact state is changed, determine whether the thermostat contact state is on, and when the thermostat contact state is not changed, determine whether the thermostat contact state is on after elapse of a certain time.

The controller is configured to when the thermostat contact state is changed, reset a timer to zero and determine whether the thermostat contact state is on, and when the thermostat contact state is not changed, count the timer by a specific value and determine whether the thermostat contact state is on when the timer reaches a reference value.

The controller is configured to reset the timer to zero and determine whether the thermostat contact state is on when the timer reaches the reference value.

The controller is configured to reacquire whether the thermostat contact state is changed when the timer does not reach the reference value.

The indoor temperature sensor is installed at an air suction end of the indoor unit.

The indoor temperature sensor is installed on a suction passage connected to the indoor unit.

The controller is configured to control at least one of the indoor unit or the outdoor unit according to the desired temperature.

The controller is configured to transmit, to at least one of the indoor unit or the outdoor unit, an operation signal for controlling the at least one of the indoor unit or the outdoor unit to operate according to the desired temperature.

A unitary system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a thermostat configured to receive a temperature control command, an indoor unit, and an outdoor unit, wherein at least one of the indoor unit or the outdoor unit is configured to operate according to an operation signal received from a communication kit.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since an indoor temperature sensor and a contact signal receiver are provided, a set temperature of a thermostat can be easily estimated.

In this case, since a unitary system operates according to an estimated set temperature, it is possible to reduce energy consumption and minimize unnecessary on/off repetition of a motor, thereby minimizing failure.

Furthermore, even when a manufacturing company of a thermostat is different from a manufacturing company of an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, an interlock operation of a unitary system can be operated by estimating a set temperature.

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an installation state of a unitary system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the unitary system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the unitary system and the communication kit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 4 is a control block diagram of the communication kit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of an installation state of an indoor temperature sensor according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of an installation state of an indoor temperature sensor according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an installation state of an indoor temperature sensor according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a communication kit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 9 is an exemplary diagram for describing a method of calculating a desired temperature according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation of the outdoor unit by the communication kit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an installation state of a unitary system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the unitary system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The unitary system may include a thermostat 10 that receives a temperature control command, and an outdoor unit 40 and an indoor unit 60 that operate based on the temperature control command received by the thermostat 10.

The outdoor unit 40 may be installed outside a building and may include a compressor, an outdoor fan, and the like.

The thermostat 10 and the indoor unit 60 may be installed in an indoor space S. For example, the thermostat 10 may be installed in a space where a user stays, and the indoor unit 60 may be installed in a basement, a ceiling, an outbuilding, or the like of the building.

Examples of the indoor unit 60 may include an A coil 20 and a gas furnace 30. The A coil 20 may cool air flowing in a duct while being cooled during operation. The gas furnace 30 may heat air through hot exhaust gas generated by combustion of fuel. However, the A coil 20 and the gas furnace 30 are merely examples for convenience of description and are not limited thereto.

The indoor unit 60 may supply cooled or heated air to the indoor space S through a supply passage 2, recover indoor air through a recovery passage 1 communicating with the indoor space S, and cool or heat the air again.

The supply passage 2 and the recovery passage 1 may be formed as ducts, and the supply passage 2 and the recovery passage 1 may be disposed at different positions.

When there are a plurality of indoor spaces S, the supply passage 2 may be branched into a plurality of passages to supply cooled or heated air to each indoor space S.

The thermostat 10 is a temperature regulator. The thermostat 10 may include a temperature sensor and may receive a temperature control command from a user. When a temperature measured by the temperature sensor is different from a temperature set through the temperature control command, the thermostat 10 may transmit an on/off signal so as to operate the outdoor unit 40 and the indoor unit 60.

The thermostat 10 may be connected to the indoor unit 60, the indoor unit 60 may be connected to the outdoor unit 40, the thermostat 10 may transmit the on signal or the off signal to the indoor unit 60, and the indoor unit 60 may transmit the on signal or the off signal to the outdoor unit 40. Alternatively, unlike in Fig. 2, the thermostat 10 may be connected to the outdoor unit 40 and the indoor unit 60 so as to transmit the on signal or the off signal to the outdoor unit 40 and the indoor unit 60.

The communication kit 50 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may be connected to the thermostat 10, the outdoor unit 40, and the indoor unit 60.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the unitary system and the communication kit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Fig. 4 is a control block diagram of the communication kit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The communication kit 50 may include at least one of a controller 51, a power supply 52, a first communication interface 53, a second communication interface 54, a contact signal receiver 55, a pipe temperature sensor 56, or an indoor temperature sensor 57.

The controller 51 may control the power supply 52, the first communication interface 53, the second communication interface 54, the contact signal receiver 55, the pipe temperature sensor 56, and the indoor temperature sensor 57.

The power supply 52 may receive external power necessary for driving the communication kit 50. The power supply 52 may convert external power and supply the converted external power to the respective components provided in the communication kit 50. The power supply 52 may include a switched mode power supply (SMPS).

The first communication interface 53 may be connected to the outdoor unit 40 by wire or wireless so as to transmit or receive signals with the outdoor unit 40. The second communication interface 54 may be connected to the indoor unit 60 by wire or wireless so as to transmit or receive signals with the indoor unit 60. Meanwhile, in FIG. 4, components for communicating with the outdoor unit 40 and components for communicating with the indoor unit 60 are separated into the first communication interface 53 and the second communication interface 54, but this is merely an example. One communication unit may communicate with the outdoor unit 40 and the indoor unit 60.

The contact signal receiver 55 may receive an on signal or an off signal. The contact signal receiver 55 may be dry contact.

According to one embodiment, the contact signal receiver 55 may receive an on/off signal from the thermostat 10.

Specifically, the thermostat 10 may transmit the on/off signal to the communication kit 50. For example, the thermostat 10 may transmit an on/off signal for a cooling operation, an on/off signal for a heating operation, and the like to the communication kit 50.

According to another embodiment, unlike in Fig. 3, the thermostat 10 may be connected to the indoor unit 60, and the communication kit 50 may be connected between the outdoor unit 40 and the indoor unit 60. In this case, the thermostat 10 may transmit an on/off signal to the indoor unit 60, the indoor unit 60 may transmit an on/off signal to the communication kit 50, and the contact signal receiver 55 may receive an on/off signal from the indoor unit 60.

According to another embodiment, the thermostat 10 may transmit an on/off signal to the indoor unit 60 together with the communication kit 50, and the contact signal receiver 55 may receive an on/off signal from at least one of the thermostat 10 or the indoor unit 60.

The pipe temperature sensor 56 may be installed inside the indoor unit 60, and in particular, the A coil 20. The controller 51 may control at least one of the A coil 20 or the outdoor unit 40 based on the pipe temperature sensed by the pipe temperature sensor 56.

The indoor temperature sensor 57 may be a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the indoor space S. The indoor temperature sensor 57 may be installed on an air suction end of the indoor unit 60 or a suction passage 1 connected to the indoor unit 60.

The indoor temperature sensor 57 may be installed at an air suction end of the A coil 20. The A coil 20 may be provided with an air suction end connected to a recovery passage 1 and an air discharge end connected to a supply passage 2. In this case, the indoor temperature sensor 57 may be installed at the air suction end of the A coil 20. The indoor temperature sensor 57 may be installed closer to the air suction end among the air suction end and the supply discharge end of the A coil 20.

The indoor temperature sensor 57 may be installed at the air suction end of the gas furnace 30. Specifically, the gas furnace 30 and the A coil 20 may be connected to each other. The gas furnace 30 may be provided with a first air suction end and a first air discharge end. The A coil 20 may be provided with a second air suction end and a second air discharge end. The first air suction end of the gas furnace 30 may be connected to the recovery passage 1. The first air discharge end of the gas furnace 30 may be connected to the second air suction end of the A coil 20. The second air discharge end of the A coil 20 may be connected to the supply passage 2. The A coil 20 may be installed above the gas furnace 30. In this case, the indoor temperature sensor 57 may be installed at the first air suction end of the gas furnace 30.

Meanwhile, the gas furnace 30 may include at least one of a burner 31 configured to combust fuel, an exhaust passage 32 through which exhaust gas generated by the combustion of the fuel passes, a blower 33 configured to guide air supplied through the first air suction end to the exhaust passage 32, and a heat exchanger 34 installed on the exhaust passage 32. At this time, the indoor temperature sensor 57 may be installed between the recovery passage 1 and the blower 33.

Ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" as used above are merely used for convenience of description, and thus the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

As illustrated in Fig. 7, the indoor temperature sensor 57 may be installed on the recovery passage 1.

According to the first to third embodiments of the present disclosure, the indoor temperature sensor 57 may sense the temperature of the indoor space S. The temperature of the indoor space S may be a suction temperature of the indoor unit 60.

Meanwhile, the communication kit 50 may further include a case 59 accommodating at least one of the controller 51, the power supply 52, the first and second communication interfaces 53 and 54, or the contact signal receiver 55. The case 59 may be installed on the outer surface of the A coil 20.

The communication kit 50 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may predict the temperature set in the thermostat 10 based on the temperature sensed by the indoor temperature sensor 57 and the contact state of the thermostat 10.

The controller 51 may acquire whether the thermostat contact state is changed (S101).

The controller 51 may acquire a thermostat contact state based on a signal received by the contact signal receiver 55. Specifically, when the signal received by the contact signal receiver 55 is an on signal, the controller 51 may determine that the thermostat contact state is on, and when the signal received by the contact signal receiver 55 is an off signal, the controller 51 may determine that the thermostat contact state is off. The contact signal receiver 55 may receive an on/off signal from at least one of the thermostat 10 or the indoor unit 60.

When the thermostat contact state is changed from the on state to the off state, or when the thermostat contact state is changed from the off state to the on state, the controller 51 may determine that the thermostat contact state has been changed.

When the thermostat contact state is not changed, the controller 51 may count a timer by a specific value (S108), and may determine whether the counted timer reaches a preset reference value (S109).

That is, when the thermostat contact state is not changed, the controller 51 may determine through the timer whether a maintenance time of the thermostat contact state has elapsed a predetermined time. That is, when the thermostat contact state is not changed, the controller 51 may determine whether the thermostat contact state is in an on state after elapse of a predetermined time. For example, the specific value may be 1 and the reference value may be 180, but this is merely an example, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

Meanwhile, the controller 51 may set the reference value based on the area of the indoor space S, and the like. Specifically, the controller 51 may set a higher reference value as the area of the indoor space S is increased. This is because as the area of the indoor space S is increased, the change in indoor temperature becomes slower.

The controller 51 may determine whether the counted timer reaches the preset reference value by comparing the counted timer with the preset reference value. Specifically, the controller 51 may determine that the counted timer does not reach the reference value when the counted timer is less than the reference value, and determine that the counted timer reaches the reference value when the counted timer is equal to or greater than the reference value.

When the counted timer does not reach the reference value, the controller 51 may determine again whether the thermostat contact state is changed.

Meanwhile, when the timer reaches the reference value, the controller 51 may reset the timer to zero (S103) and may determine whether the thermostat contact state is on (S105).

In addition, when the thermostat contact state is changed, the controller 51 may reset the timer to zero (S103) and may determine whether the thermostat contact state is on (S105).

That is, the controller 51 may determine whether the thermostat contact state is on when the thermostat contact state is changed or when the thermostat contact state is not changed but the maintenance time of the thermostat contact state has elapsed a predetermined time.

When the thermostat contact state is changed, the controller 51 may immediately determine whether the thermostat contact state is on.

When the thermostat contact state is off, the controller 51 may determine again whether the thermostat contact state is changed.

When the thermostat contact state is on, the controller 51 may calculate a desired temperature by adding a set temperature (ΔT) to the indoor temperature sensed by the indoor temperature sensor 57 (S107).

The desired temperature may refer to a temperature predicted to be set in the thermostat 10 through the temperature control command by the user.

The set temperature (ΔT) is a unit temperature preset for the calculation of the desired temperature and may be a temperature added or subtracted when the desired temperature is calculated.

The set temperature (ΔT) may be different based on an operation mode. When the operation mode is a cooling mode, the set temperature (ΔT) may be a negative value, and when the operation mode is a heating mode, the set temperature (ΔT) may be a positive value. For example, when the contact signal receiver 55 receives the on signal for the cooling operation and the thermostat contact state is on, the controller 51 may acquire -1°C as the set temperature (ΔT). When the contact signal receiver 55 receives the on signal for the heating operation and the thermostat contact state is on, the controller 51 may acquire +1°C as the set temperature (ΔT). However, this is merely an example and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

Next, a method by which the controller 51 calculates the desired temperature based on the thermostat contact state and the indoor temperature sensed by the indoor temperature sensor 57 will be described with reference to an example of Fig. 9.

A thermostat set temperature 91 may refer to a temperature set in the thermostat 10. The thermostat set temperature 91 may refer to an actual temperature of a desired temperature predicted by the controller 51. As the desired temperature calculated by the controller 51 is closer to the thermostat set temperature 91, it may mean that the prediction accuracy of the controller 51 is higher.

A thermostat contact state 92 may refer to the contact state of the thermostat acquired by the controller 51.

The indoor temperature 93 may be an indoor temperature sensed by the indoor temperature sensor 57.

A desired temperature 94 is a temperature calculated by the controller 51 and may be a temperature predicted to be set in the thermostat.

When the thermostat contact state is on when the desired temperature is calculated, the controller 51 may calculate 27℃ the desired temperature by adding the set temperature of -1℃ to the indoor temperature of 28℃. Thereafter, when the thermostat contact state is not changed, the controller 51 may determine whether the thermostat contact state is on after elapse of a predetermined time. When the thermostat contact state is on, the controller 51 may calculate 26℃ as the desired temperature by adding the set temperature of -1℃ to the indoor temperature of 27℃. Similarly, when the thermostat contact state is not changed, the controller 51 may determine whether the thermostat contact state is on after elapse of a predetermined time, calculate 25℃ as the desired temperature by adding the set temperature of -1°C to the indoor temperature of 26℃, calculate 24℃ as the desired temperature by adding the set temperature of -1℃ to the indoor temperature of 25℃, calculate 23℃ as the desired temperature by adding the set temperature of -1℃ to the indoor temperature of 24℃, and calculate 22℃ as the desired temperature by adding the set temperature of -1℃ to the indoor temperature of 23℃.

When the indoor temperature sensed by the indoor temperature sensor 57 is 22℃, it may mean that the temperature of the indoor space S is 22℃. In this case, since both the thermostat set temperature 91 and the temperature of the indoor space S are 22℃, the thermostat 10 may transmit an off signal to at least one of the communication kit 50 or the indoor unit 60. Therefore, the controller 51 may determine that the thermostat contact state is on.

According to one embodiment, when the thermostat contact state is off, the controller 51 may recognize the indoor temperature sensed by the indoor temperature sensor 57 as the desired temperature.

According to another embodiment, when the thermostat contact state is off, the controller 51 may maintain the last calculated desired temperature.

Meanwhile, the controller 51 may recognize, as the desired temperature, the indoor temperature when the thermostat contact state is off only for the first time, and then use the recognized desired temperature when the thermostat contact state is changed to the on state.

The controller 51 may control at least one of the indoor unit 60 or the outdoor unit 40 according to the desired temperature.

The controller 51 may transmit, to at least one of the indoor unit 60 or the outdoor unit 40, an operation signal for controlling at least one of the indoor unit 60 or the outdoor unit 40 to operate according to the desired temperature.

For example, the controller 51 may transmit, to at least one of the indoor unit 60 or the outdoor unit 40, an operation signal in which the desired temperature is the set temperature. The indoor unit 60 and the outdoor unit 40, which have received the operation signal from the communication kit 50, may operate such that the indoor space S reaches the set temperature.

A dashed line illustrated in Fig. 10 may represent the indoor temperature, and a solid line illustrated in Fig. 10 may represent a frequency (Hz) of a compressor provided in the outdoor unit 40.

a) of Fig. 10 may illustrate an operation pattern of a compressor according to an existing unitary system, and b) of Fig. 10 may illustrate an operation pattern of a compressor when the communication kit 50 controls the unitary system.

First, referring to a) of Fig. 10, since the outdoor unit 40 does not know the set temperature, the compressor may operate while gradually increasing the frequency until the indoor temperature reaches a specific temperature. The compressor may be turned off when the indoor temperature reaches the specific temperature. As the compressor is not operated, the indoor temperature may be increased again. The compressor may be turned on again when the indoor temperature is increased by a predetermined level and may gradually increase a frequency until the indoor temperature reaches a specific temperature.

That is, in the case of the existing unitary system, since the outdoor unit 40 does not know the set temperature, the compressor is not adjusted to an appropriate frequency and repeats an on/off operation.

Meanwhile, referring to b) of Fig. 10, the outdoor unit 40 may estimate the set temperature based on the operation signal received from the communication kit 50 and may be operated while adjusting the frequency of the compressor according to the set temperature. In this case, the number of repetitions of the on/off operations may be reduced than in the case of a).

As such, the outdoor unit 40 may recognize the set temperature and may reduce the number of repetitions of the on/off operations than when the set temperature is not recognized. Therefore, it is possible to minimize failures due to frequent repetitions of the on/off operations and provide a more comfortable indoor environment to the user. Furthermore, since the outdoor unit 40 may adjust the air conditioning output based on the set temperature, thereby minimizing energy loss.

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present disclosure, and various modifications and changes may be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the essential characteristics of the present disclosure.

Therefore, the embodiments of the present disclosure are not intended to limit the technical spirit of the present disclosure but to illustrate the technical idea of the present disclosure, and the technical spirit of the present disclosure is not limited by these embodiments.

The scope of protection of the present disclosure should be interpreted by the appending claims, and all technical ideas within the scope of equivalents should be construed as falling within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

A communication kit for an interlocking operation of a unitary system including a thermostat configured to receive a temperature control command, an indoor unit, and an outdoor unit, the communication kit comprising:

an indoor temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of an indoor space;

a contact signal receiver configured to receive an on signal or an off signal from the thermostat or the indoor unit; and

a controller configured to calculate a desired temperature based on an indoor temperature sensed by the indoor temperature sensor and a signal received by the contact signal receiver.
The communication kit according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the desired temperature by adding a set temperature to the indoor temperature sensed by the indoor temperature sensor.
The communication kit according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to acquire a thermostat contact state based on the signal received by the contact signal receiver and calculate the desired temperature when the thermostat contact state is on.
The communication kit according to claim 2, wherein the contact signal receiver is configured to receive an on signal or an off signal for a cooling operation and an on signal or an off signal for a heating operation, and

the controller is configured to set the set temperature to a negative value when the on signal or the off signal for the cooling operation is received, and set the set temperature to a positive value when the on signal or the off signal for the heating operation is received.
The communication kit according to claim 1, wherein the desired temperature is a temperature predicted to be set in the thermostat through the temperature control command.
The communication kit according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to recognize the indoor temperature sensed by the indoor temperature sensor as the desired temperature when the thermostat contact state is off.
The communication kit according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to:

acquire whether the thermostat contact state is changed;

when the thermostat contact state is changed, determine whether the thermostat contact state is on; and

when the thermostat contact state is not changed, determine whether the thermostat contact state is on after elapse of a certain time.
The communication kit according to claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to:

when the thermostat contact state is changed, reset a timer to zero and determine whether the thermostat contact state is on; and

when the thermostat contact state is not changed, count the timer by a specific value and determine whether the thermostat contact state is on when the timer reaches a reference value.
The communication kit according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to reset the timer to zero and determine whether the thermostat contact state is on when the timer reaches the reference value.
The communication kit according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to reacquire whether the thermostat contact state is changed when the timer does not reach the reference value.
The communication kit according to claim 1, wherein the indoor temperature sensor is installed at an air suction end of the indoor unit.
The communication kit according to claim 1, wherein the indoor temperature sensor is installed on a suction passage connected to the indoor unit.
The communication kit according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of the indoor unit or the outdoor unit according to the desired temperature.
The communication kit according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to transmit, to at least one of the indoor unit or the outdoor unit, an operation signal for controlling the at least one of the indoor unit or the outdoor unit to operate according to the desired temperature.
A unitary system comprising:

a thermostat configured to receive a temperature control command;

an indoor unit; and

an outdoor unit,

wherein at least one of the indoor unit or the outdoor unit is configured to operate according to an operation signal received from a communication kit.