Remote monitoring system for air conditioners

• US 20010048376A1
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ozawa, Yoshio, Maeda, Tsutomu, Kawai, Tsuyoshi
• Application Number:
  US09/820,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20010048376A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.17
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/49 ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control

Abstract

This invention provides a remote monitoring system for air conditioners installed respectively in a plurality of buildings for concentrically monitoring the operating state of the air conditioners from a distance. The system comprises data collectors 3 installed in the respective buildings, and a remote monitor 4 connected to the data collectors 3 of all the buildings via a communication network. Each of the data collectors 3 collects state data representing the operating state of the air conditioner installed in each building and transmits the collected state data to the remote monitor 4. The remote monitor 4 receives the state data collected by each data collector 3, diagnoses the operating state of the air conditioner installed in each building based on the received state data, and outputs the result of diagnosis. In this way, the air conditioners can be optimally adjusted within a short period of time.

Claims

1. A remote monitoring system for air conditioners installed respectively in a plurality of buildings (6) for concentrically monitoring the operating state of the air conditioners from a distance, the system comprising data collectors (3) installed in the respective buildings (6), and a remote monitor (4) connected to the data collectors (3) of all the buildings (6) via a communication network (5), each of the data collectors (3) comprising:

data collecting means for collecting state data representing the operating state of the air conditioner installed in each building (6), and

transmitting means for transmitting the collected state data to the remote monitor (4),

the remote monitor (4) comprising;

receiving means for receiving the state data collected by each data collector (3),

diagnosing means for diagnosing the operating state of the air conditioner installed in each building (6) based on the received state data, and

output means for outputting the result of diagnosis of the air conditioner.

2. A remote monitoring system according to

claim 1

wherein the remote monitor (4) further comprises input means for inputting one or a plurality of control parameters determined based on the result of diagnosis of the air conditioner in each building (6), and transmitting means for transmitting the control parameters input for the air conditioner of the building (6) to the data collector (3) of the building (6), the data collector (3) further comprising receiving means for receiving the parameters transmitted to the data collector (3), and adjusting means for setting the received control parameters in the air conditioner and thereby adjusting the operating state thereof.

3. A remote monitoring system according to

claim 1

wherein the diagnosing means of the remote monitor (4) prepares a candidate value or candidate values for one or a plurality of control parameters required for improving the operating state based on the result of diagnosis of the air conditioner, and the output means outputs the candidate value or values prepared as the result of diagnosis.