Communication system
First Claim
1. A communication system, provided in an electric device including a plurality of internal devices, comprising:
- at least one sub-control means for controlling operations of the internal devices, said sub-control means being placed in a vicinity of a corresponding internal device so as to be connected thereto;
main control means for controlling the electric device by controlling said sub-control means;
a single communication line for connecting said main control means and said sub-control means so as to permit communications between them,a pair of AC power feeders for feeding AC power from an AC power supply to said main control means and for feeding AC power from the AC power supply to the internal devices through said sub-control means; and
a pair of DC power feeders for feeding DC power, which connect said main control means and said sub-control means,wherein said main control means includes;
first transmission means for transmitting a message to said sub-control means through said communication line; and
first receiving means for receiving a message from said sub-control means through said communication line, andsaid sub-control means includes;
second transmission means for transmitting a message to said main control means through said communication line; and
second receiving means for receiving a message from said main control means through said communication line, andsaid main control means includes;
a power converter means for converting AC power supplied from the AC power supply into DC power, and supplies the converted DC power to said sub-control means through said pair of DC power feeders, andsaid first transmission means of said main control means and said second transmission means of said sub-control means are provided between one of said pair of DC power feeders and said communication line, andsaid first transmission means and said second transmission means respectively include;
first switching means for switching a state of said communication line between a low level and a high level by connecting and disconnecting it to one of said pair of DC power feeders, andfirst transmission control means for controlling switching operations of said first switching means, andsaid first transmission means and said second transmission means respectively transmit messages through said communication line by controlling the switching operations of said first switching means using said first transmission control means, andsaid first receiving means of said main control means includes level detection means for detecting a collision among messages by detecting a level of said communication line.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communication system of the present invention is provided in electric devices such as refrigerators including a plurality of output units such as electric fans, electric dampers, and output units such as sensors, thermistors, etc. The communication system is provided in the vicinity of the input and output units. The communication system includes a plurality of sub-control sections for controlling operations of the output units, a main control section for controlling the electric device by controlling operations of each sub-control section, a single communication-use cable for connecting the main control section and the sub-control sections so as to permit communications between them. Bidirectional communications between the main control section and each sub-control section are carried out through the communication-use cable. The above communication system permits a reduction in the number of cables required for connecting the main control section to the input and output units and simplified processes for routing the cables. As a result, compact size electric devices and reduction in manufacturing costs are enabled.
47 Citations
66 Claims
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1. A communication system, provided in an electric device including a plurality of internal devices, comprising:
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at least one sub-control means for controlling operations of the internal devices, said sub-control means being placed in a vicinity of a corresponding internal device so as to be connected thereto; main control means for controlling the electric device by controlling said sub-control means; a single communication line for connecting said main control means and said sub-control means so as to permit communications between them, a pair of AC power feeders for feeding AC power from an AC power supply to said main control means and for feeding AC power from the AC power supply to the internal devices through said sub-control means; and a pair of DC power feeders for feeding DC power, which connect said main control means and said sub-control means, wherein said main control means includes; first transmission means for transmitting a message to said sub-control means through said communication line; and first receiving means for receiving a message from said sub-control means through said communication line, and said sub-control means includes; second transmission means for transmitting a message to said main control means through said communication line; and second receiving means for receiving a message from said main control means through said communication line, and said main control means includes; a power converter means for converting AC power supplied from the AC power supply into DC power, and supplies the converted DC power to said sub-control means through said pair of DC power feeders, and said first transmission means of said main control means and said second transmission means of said sub-control means are provided between one of said pair of DC power feeders and said communication line, and said first transmission means and said second transmission means respectively include; first switching means for switching a state of said communication line between a low level and a high level by connecting and disconnecting it to one of said pair of DC power feeders, and first transmission control means for controlling switching operations of said first switching means, and said first transmission means and said second transmission means respectively transmit messages through said communication line by controlling the switching operations of said first switching means using said first transmission control means, and said first receiving means of said main control means includes level detection means for detecting a collision among messages by detecting a level of said communication line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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Specification