Central control system and method for controlling air conditioners

• US 20040107717A1
• Filed: 10/03/2003
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jeon, Duck Gu, Jung, Jae Sik, Yoon, Sang Chul, Kwon, Jae Hwan
• Granted Patent: US 7,661,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/230
• 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 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/05 Load shedding of a compressor

Abstract

A central control system and method for controlling air conditioners. The central control system performs central control operations for the air conditioners according to an operation schedule or control command inputted from a central controller coupled to the air conditioners through an internal network or a remote controller accessible to an external Internet network. When the air conditioners are simultaneously operated, control signals based on the control command are adjusted to prevent electric power consumption from abruptly increasing and hence the stability and reliability of control can be improved. The central controller includes a touch screen-based monitor. A control program included in the central controller provides a timetable corresponding to a specified period. An operator can conveniently input/edit the operation schedule through a dragging operation performed on the monitor, and confirm the inputted/edited operation schedule.

Claims

1. A central control system for controlling a plurality of air conditioners, comprising:

the air conditioners installed indoors for performing air conditioning operations; and

a central controller for receiving a control command for monitoring or controlling operating states of the air conditioners, automatically scheduling control signals corresponding to the control command to manage electric power consumption at a time of simultaneously operating the air conditioners, and outputting the scheduled control signals to the air conditioners.

2. The central control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the air conditioners are connected to an internal network, and the air conditioners are assigned different IP addresses so that the air conditioners can be discriminated from each other.

3. The central control system as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

an IP sharer connected to the central controller for performing an integrated management operation for the IP addresses assigned to the air conditioners.

4. The central control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the central controller comprises:

a control program execution module for receiving the control command needed to control the air conditioners and executing a control program so that information of the operating states can be outputted in response to the control command;

a manager module for transmitting the control command inputted through the control program to the air conditioners, monitoring operating states of the controlled air conditioners, and managing a time schedule of the control signals to be outputted to the air conditioners; and

a global manager module for globally controlling the manager module.

5. The central control system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the manager module comprises:

a monitoring manager for communicating data with the air conditioners and monitoring the operating states of the controlled air conditioners;

a schedule manager for generating a time schedule according to the control command inputted through the control program; and

a power manager for adjusting time intervals between operations of the air conditioners.

6. The central control system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the manager module further comprises:

a client manager for executing a web page so that the control command can be inputted and the operating states of the controlled air conditioners can be monitored by the remote controller coupled to the central controller through the Internet network.

7. The central control system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the schedule manager is connected to a database, and reads the control command inputted through the control program and state data from the database.

8. The central control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the central controller displays the control program for controlling operations of the air conditioners and comprises a touch screen-based monitor used for inputting the control command through a screen touch operation.

9. The central control system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the control program is executed so that a timetable in which the operation schedule for the air conditioners corresponding to a specified period can be inputted or edited and displayed on the monitor, the timetable having a number of cells.

10. The central control system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the control program receives the operation schedule of the air conditioners designated by dragging and selecting the cells on the monitor.

11. The central control system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the control program converts colors of the selected cells so that the cells selected to input the operation schedule for the air conditioners can be discriminated from other cells not selected, and the selected cells discriminated by the colors can be displayed.

12. A method for controlling air conditioners in a central control system, comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting, to the air conditioners, an operation schedule and a control command inputted through a central controller capable of performing central control operations for the air conditioners, and simultaneously monitoring operating states of the air conditioners;

(b) generating control signals so that the air conditioners can be operated in response to the operation schedule and control command inputted at the step (a); and

(c) adjusting time intervals between operations of the air conditioners to manage electric power consumption.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the step (a) comprises the steps of:

(a1) sensing a control request from the remote controller for inputting control command data to the air conditioners through the Internet network;

(a2) storing the control command data inputted by the remote controller in the database of the central controller; and

(a3) transmitting the control command data stored in the database to the air conditioners and monitoring operating states of the air conditioners.

14. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the step of inputting the operation schedule for the air conditioners contained at the step (a) comprises the steps of:

(a1) displaying a timetable having a plurality of cells on a touch screen of the central controller;

(a2) dragging the cells displayed at the step (a1) on the monitor and designating the operation schedule; and

(a3) displaying the dragged cells with colors different from not selected cells.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the step (a2) comprises the steps of:

(a2-1) determining whether cells have been touched and selected;

(a2-2) if the cells have been touched and selected, determining whether an operating mode is a schedule editing mode;

(a2-3) if the operating mode is the schedule editing mode, releasing the operation schedule associated with previously selected cells; and

(a2-4) if no previously selected cells exist, repeating the steps (a2-1) to (a2-3).