Air-conditioner control system

• US 4,901,536 A
• Filed: 11/29/1988
• Issued: 02/20/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zezel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Diesel Japan Company Limited (Renzo Rosso)
• Inventors: Eda, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US07/277,556
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 62/125, 62/126, 62/127, 62/129, 62/130, 62/163, 165/11.1, 236/94
• US Class Current: 62/126
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00985 Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/79 for controlling the direction of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/24 the sensing element having a resistance varying with temperature, e.g. a thermistor

Abstract

A control system for controlling an actuator and a display unit of an air-conditioner, and a method of adjusting the control system. An operational amplifier executes calculation on the basis of analogue data from a plurality of temperature-data input terminals. An output from the operational amplifier is sent to a microcomputer through an A/D converter. In a normal control mode, the microcomputer controls the display unit and the actuator of the air conditioner. The microcomputer executes also an adjusting mode in which the microcomputer controls the display unit to display an outut voltage from the operational amplifier. The microcomputer selects one of the modes to be executed in response to a mode signal from a mode-signal generator. A reference voltage is inputted to the operational amplifier from a reference-voltage generating circuit. The reference voltage is adjusted such that the output voltage from the operational amplifier displayed on the display unit is brought to a predetermined standard level.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling actuator means and display means of an air conditioner, said control system comprising:

(a) a plurality of temperature-data input terminals;

(b) reference-voltage generating means including a variable resistor, for generating an adjustable reference voltage;

(c) an operational amplifier having an inverting input terminal, a noninverting terminal and an output terminal, said output terminal and said inverting input terminal being connected to each other through a negative feedback resistor, wherein said temperature-data input terminals are connected to said inverting input terminal through respective input resistors, and wherein said reference voltage from said reference-voltage generating means is inputted to said noninverting input terminal;

(d) an A/D converter for converting an output voltage from said operational amplifier to digital data;

(e) mode-signal generating means for sending a mode signal to a below-mentioned microcomputer; and

(f) the microcomputer including;

(i) judging means for judging whether the air conditioner is in a normal control mode or an adjusting mode, on the basis of said mode signal from said mode-signal generating means,

(ii) normal-control-mode executing means for outputting a control signal representative of a current air-conditioning state, to said display means and for outputting a control signal to said actuator means of said air conditioner on the basis of said digital data from said A/D converter when said normal-control-mode executing means receives a judgment signal from said judging means indicative of said normal control mode, and

(iii) adjusting-mode executing means for outputting a control signal representative of the output voltage from said operational amplifier, to said display means, on the basis of said digital data from said A/D converter when said adjusting-mode executing means receives a judgment signal from said judging means indicative of said adjusting mode.

2. A control system according to claim 1, further comprising indoor-air temperature setting means having a variable resistor, said indoor-air temperature setting means being connected to said inverting input terminal of said operational amplifier through another input resistor.

3. A control system according to claim 1, wherein said display means is provided with first, second and third light-emitting diodes, and wherein in said adjusting mode, said first light-emitting diode emits light when said output voltage from said operational amplifier is lower than a predetermined level, said second light-emitting diode emits light when said output voltage from said operational amplifier is equal to said predetermined level, and said third light-emitting diode emits light when said output voltage from said operational amplifier is higher than said predetermined level.

4. A control system according to claim 3, wherein said first to third light-emitting diodes represent respectively air blowing modes different from each other, of said air conditioner during said normal control mode.

5. A control system according to claim 2, wherein said display means is composed of a numeral display unit, and wherein in said adjusting mode, said numeral display unit displays a numerical value corresponding to the output voltage from said operational amplifier.

6. A control system according to claim 5, wherein said numeral display unit displays indoor-air temperature set by said indoor-air temperature setting means in said normal control mode.

7. A control system according to claim 1, wherein said mode-signal generating means is provided with a plurality of switches, and wherein when these switches are turned on simultaneously, said mode-signal generating means outputs a mode signal indicative of said adjusting mode.

8. A control system according to claim 7, wherein said switches designate an air blowing direction in said normal control mode.

9. A method of adjusting a control system for controlling actuator means and display means of an air conditioner, said control system comprising:

(a) a plurality of temperature-data input terminals;

(b) reference-voltage generating means including a variable resistor, for generating an adjustable reference voltage;

(c) an operational amplifier having an inverting input terminal, a noninverting terminal and an output terminal, said output terminal and said inverting input terminal being connected to each other through a negative feedback resistor, wherein said temperature-data input terminals are connected to said inverting input terminal through respective input resistors, wherein said reference voltage from said reference-voltage generating means is inputted to said noninverting input terminal;

(d) an A/D converter for converting an output voltage from said operational amplifier to digital data;

(e) mode-signal generating means for sending a mode signal to a below-mentioned microcomputer; and

(f) the microcomputer including;

(i) judging means for judging whether the air conditioner is in a normal control mode or an adjusting mode, on the basis of said mode signal from said mode-signal generating means,

(ii) normal-control-mode executing means for outputting a control signal representative of a current air-conditioning state, to said display means and for outputting a control signal to said actuator means of said air conditioner on the basis of said digital data from said A/D converter when said normal-control-mode executing means receives a judgment signal from said judging means indicative of said normal control mode, and

(iii) adjusting-mode executing means for outputting a control signal representative of the output voltage from said operational amplifier, to said display means, on the basis of said digital data from said A/D converter when said adjusting-mode executing means receives a judgment signal from said judging means indicative of said adjusting mode,

said method comprising the steps of;

(v) connecting a plurality of standard resistors respectively to said temperature-data input terminals;

(w) outputting the mode signal from said mode-signal generating means, representative of said adjusting mode, to said microcomputer;

(x) causing said display means to display said output voltage from said operational amplifier on the basis of said control signal from said microcomputer; and

(y) adjusting said variable resistor of said reference-voltage generating means so as to bring the output voltage from said operational amplifier displayed on said display means, to a predetermined voltage.