Central control system for airconditioner and method for operating the same

• US 20050209738A1
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jun Tae, Jeon, Duck Gu, Jung, Jae Sik, Yoon, Young Soo, Youn, Sang Chul, Kwon, Jae Hwan
• Granted Patent: US 7,216,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25204 Translate between different communication protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house

Abstract

A central control system for airconditioner(s) and a method for controlling the same. The central control system can centrally control a plurality of airconditioners connected to the same communication network. In the system, a protocol converter connected to a central controller converts a communication standard of a signal communicated between the airconditioners and the central controller into another communication standard, acquires connection state information by scanning connection state information of individual airconditioners, and transmits the acquired information to the central controller, such that a manager can correctly monitor an airconditioner state using the central controller, resulting in the implementation of a reliable control system.

Claims

1. A central control system for use in one or more airconditioners, comprising:

a plurality of airconditioners for implementing a room airconditioning function;

a central controller for monitoring, in real time, connection state information of the plurality of airconditioners, and at the same time controlling operations of the airconditioners; and

a protocol converter for converting a communication standard of a signal communicated between the airconditioners and the central controller into another communication standard, and transmitting the scanned connection state information of the airconditioners to the central controller over a communication network.

2. The central control system according to claim 1, wherein the protocol converter includes:

a conversion processor for converting a communication standard of a signal communicated between the central controller, supporting an Ethernet communication standard, and the airconditioners, supporting an RS-485 communication standard, into another communication standard.

3. The central control system according to claim 2, wherein the protocol converter includes:

a scanning unit for calling network addresses of the airconditioners, and scanning connection state information of the airconditioners;

a memory for storing the connection state information of the airconditioners scanned by the scanning unit and network address information of the airconditioners; and

a communication unit for transmitting the information stored in the memory to the central controller.

4. The central control system according to claim 3, wherein the communication unit is indicative of a wired communication module for transmitting/receiving signals based on an Ethernet communication standard.

5. The central control system according to claim 3, wherein the communication unit is indicative of a wireless communication module for transmitting/receiving signals over an RF (Radio Frequency) network.

6. The central control system according to claim 1, wherein the central controller includes:

an input unit for receiving control commands to control a variety of operations of the plurality of airconditioners connected to the communication network;

a controller for generating a control signal upon receiving the control commands from the input unit; and

a communication unit for transmitting the control signal generated from the controller to a corresponding airconditioner, and communicating with the protocol converter to receive connection state information of the corresponding airconditioner.

7. The central control system according to claim 6, wherein the central controller further includes:

an output unit for outputting current state information and connection state information of the airconditioner operated by the control signal.

8. The central control system according to claim 6, wherein the central controller further includes:

a control program drive for driving a control program which receives the control commands for controlling operations of individual airconditioners, and is implemented with a Graphic User Interface (GUI) to output network connection state information and current state information of the airconditioners.

9. The central control system according to claim 6, wherein the controller includes:

a control command generation module for generating/transmitting a control signal to control operations of the airconditioners according to an entry control command; and

an airconditioner information request module for requesting current state information or network connection state information of a predetermined airconditioner from the protocol converter.

10. The central control system according to claim 9, wherein the controller includes:

a timer for counting or timing a request period of time determined to periodically request connection state information from individual airconditioners, and driving the airconditioner information request module if no response signal is received from the protocol converter during the request period of time.

11. A method for operating a central control system for use in one or more airconditioners, comprising the steps of:

a) controlling a protocol converter for converting a communication protocol of a signal communicated between a plurality of airconditioners and a central controller for centrally controlling the plurality of airconditioners to communicate with a plurality of airconditioners connected to a communication network according to a first communication standard, and scanning network connection state information;

b) acquiring connection state information from the airconditioners according to the scanned result, and updating/storing the connection state information of the acquired connection state information of the airconditioners;

c) upon receiving an information request signal from the central controller, transmitting the stored connection state information to the central controller according to a second communication standard; and

d) displaying connection state information of the airconditioners using the central controller receiving the connection state information.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step (a) includes the steps of:

a1) initializing a system of the protocol converter; and

a2) calling network addresses of individual airconditioners, and storing the called network addresses.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step (b) includes the step of:

b1) periodically scanning network connection state information of all the airconditioners connected to the communication network according to a predetermined order.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step (b) further includes the steps of:

b2) acquiring airconditioner information containing network address information of an airconditioner having a changed network connection state; and

b3) transmitting the acquired airconditioner information to the central controller.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step (d) includes the steps of:

d1) counting or timing a request period of time determined to periodically request connection state information from individual airconditioners; and

d2) re-transmitting an information request signal if no response signal is received from the protocol converter during the request period of time.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step (d) further includes the step of:

d3) receiving network connection state information of individual airconditioners from the protocol converter, updating the received network connection state information, and storing the updated network connection state information in a database (DB).