INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD USING SETTING INFORMATION BACK-UP FOR CONTROLLING MULTI-TYPE AIR CONDITIONERS

• US 20080185448A1
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: YOUN, Sang-Chul, KIM, Jun-Tae, JEON, Duck-Gu
• Granted Patent: US 7,974,740 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/51
• 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 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• 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: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode

Abstract

An integrated management system for controlling multi-type air conditioners can use a remote integrated management system to securely and automatically back up setting information for a local controller provided in at least one air conditioner system, which is disposed in a room or office and is being operated, thereby allowing an improvement of stability of the integrated management system.

Claims

1. An integrated management system for controlling multi-type air conditioners, the system comprising:

at least one air conditioner system including at least one air conditioner group provided with a local controller connected to multi-type air conditioners via a gateway, and configured to monitor changes in setting information related to the at least one air conditioner group and to convert the setting information based on the monitored result into setting information data according to a remote communication protocol so as to transmit the setting information data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one air condition system comprises:

a backup/restoring module configured to monitor the change in the setting information, such that when it is monitored that the setting information is changed, the backup/restoring module converts the changed setting information into setting information data for back-up according to the remote communication protocol for transmission.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the backup/restoring module transmits a request signal for restoring setting information when an error occurs in the setting information, and restores the setting information related to a local controller into setting information for back-up as a response signal with respect to the request signal.

4. A system for controlling multi-type air conditioners, the system comprising:

a remote integrated management system configured to receive setting information data from at least one air conditioner system and to store the setting information data for back-up, based on a remote communication protocol, and to convert and transmit the stored setting information data for back-up according to the remote communication protocol when a restoration is requested.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the remote integrated management system comprises:

a data collecting module configured to receive the setting information data for back-up based on the remote communication protocol from the at least one air conditioner system;

a network entity configured to classify the received setting information data for back-up for each air conditioner group and store the classified data; and

a data transmitting module configured to convert the setting information data for back-up stored in the network entity into setting information data for restoration based on the remote communication protocol for transmission.

6. An integrated management system for controlling multi-type air conditioners, the system comprising:

at least one air conditioner system including at least one air conditioner group provided with a local controller connected to multi-type air conditioners via a gateway, and configured to monitor changes in setting information related to the at least one air conditioner group and convert the setting information based on the monitored result into setting information data for back-up according to a remote communication protocol so as to transmit the setting information data; and

a remote integrated management system configured to receive and store the setting information data for back-up based on the remote communication protocol from the at least one air conditioner system, and convert and transmit the stored setting information data for back-up according to the remote communication protocol when a restoration is requested.

7. The integrated management system of claim 6, wherein the at least one air condition system comprises:

a backup/restoring module configured to monitor the change in the setting information, such that when it is monitored that the setting information is changed, the backup/restoring module converts the changed setting information into the setting information data for back-up according to the remote communication protocol for transmission.

8. The integrated management system of claim 7, wherein the backup/restoring module transmits a request signal for restoring setting information when an error occurs in the setting information, and restores the setting information related to a local controller into the setting information data for back-up as a response signal with respect to the request signal.

9. The integrated management system of claim 6, wherein the remote integrated management system comprises:

a data-for-backup collecting module configured to receive the setting information data for back-up based on the remote communication protocol from the at least one air conditioner system;

a database server configured to classify the received setting information data for back-up for each air conditioner group and store the classified data; and

a remote data-for-restoration transmitting module configured to convert the setting information data for back-up stored in the database server into setting information data for a restoration based on the remote communication protocol for transmission.

10. An integrated management method for controlling multi-type air conditioners, the method comprising:

monitoring setting information related to a local controller;

transmitting the setting information when any change is found in the monitored setting information; and

receiving the transmitted setting information and storing the setting information as setting information for back-up.

11. An integrated management method for controlling multi-type air conditioners, the method comprising:

monitoring setting information of a local controller;

requesting a restoration of the setting information when an error occurs in the monitored setting information;

detecting most recently stored setting information according to the restoration request, and transmitting the detected setting information as setting information for restoration; and

receiving the restoration setting information, and restoring the setting information for the local controller into the received setting information for restoration.

12. An integrated management system for controlling multi-type air conditioners, the system comprising:

a data collecting unit to communicate with at least one multiple air conditioning system in order to collect data related to any changes or updates in operation setting information;

a data transmitting unit to communicate with the at least one multiple air conditioning system in order to transmit data related to data back-up or data restoration; and

a storage medium connected with the data collecting unit and the data transmitting unit,

whereby changed or updated operation setting information is stored in the storage medium to be used for data back-up or data restoration.