Signal transmission/reception device of air conditioner

• US 5,853,123 A
• Filed: 04/09/1997
• Issued: 12/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
• Original Assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
• Inventors: Uchida, Kouji, Sogabe, Masaharu, Tanaka, Osamu, Okano, Takashi, Kamafusa, Kouji, Kawakami, Hisatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US08/809,732
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 236/51, 236/46 R, 236/47, 62/175, 62/160, 62/126, 62/127
• 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 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• 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 2400/075 with parallel compressors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

A signal transmission/reception device of an air conditioner is provided with a plurality of control groups (8A, 8B, . . . ). The control groups (8A, 8B, . . . ) are each composed so that an outdoor control unit (5) and an indoor control unit (6) are connected to each other through a group communication path (7) so as to be capable of signal transmission and reception therebetween. The outdoor control units (5,5, . . . ) are connected to each other through a centralized communication path (10) so as to be capable of signal transmission and reception among them. The respective group communication paths (7) are connected at the respective outdoor control units (5,5, . . . ) to the centralized communication path (10) thereby forming a single signal transmission/reception network (NW). Further, the signal transmission/reception network (NW) is connected to a centralized controller (9) for subjecting the outdoor units (3,3, . . . ) and the indoor units (4,4, . . . ) to centralized control. In addition, relays (28a, 28b) are provided for bringing the group communication path (7) and the centralized communication path (10) into conduction and interruption therebetween.

Claims

1. A signal transmission/reception device of an air conditioner, comprising:

a plurality of control groups (8A, 8B, . . . ) in each of which a thermal-source-side control unit (5) for controlling a thermal-source-side unit (3) and a user-side control unit (6) for controlling a user-side unit (4) are connected to each other through a group communication path (7) so as to be capable of signal transmission and reception therebetween;

a centralized communication path (10) to which the thermal-source-side control units (5, 5, . . . ) are connected so that the thermal-source-side control units (5, 5, . . . ) are connected to each other to implement signal transmission and reception through the centralized communication path (10), and the respective group communication paths (7) are connected at the respective thermal-source-side control units (5, 5, . . . ) to the centralized communication path (10), thereby forming a single signal transmission/reception network (NW);

a centralized control unit (9) to which the signal transmission/reception network (nw) is connected, the centralized control unit (9) being operative for subjecting the thermal-source-side units (3, 3, . . . ) and the user-side units (4, 4, . . . ) to centralized control;

communication path interrupting means (28) being operative for bringing conduction and interruption between each of the group communication paths (7) and the centralized communication path (10);

at least a DC superposition circuit (25) which is connected to each of the group communication paths (7) so as to obtain either of conduction and interruption between the DC superposition circuit (25) and the group communication path (7), the DC superposition circuit (25) being operative for applying to the group communication paths (7) and the centralized communication path (10), a DC voltage which is used to discriminate each polarity of the group communication paths (7) and the centralized communication path (10); and

a plurality of polarity discriminating circuits (22) which are respectively provided in the thermal-source-side control units (5), the user-side control units (6) and the centralized control unit (9), the polarity discriminating circuits being operative for discriminating each polarity of the group communication paths (7) and the centralized communication path (10) so that signals of the same polarity are respectively transmitted from the thermal-source-side control unit (5), the user-side control unit and the centralized control unit (9).

2. The signal transmission/reception device of an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein

the communication path interrupting means (28) is composed to execute interruption between the group communication path (7) and the centralized communication path (10) when signal transmission and reception are made only between the thermal-source-side control unit (5) and the user-side control unit (6) in the same control group (8A, 8B, . . . ).

5. The signal transmission/reception device of an air conditioner according to any one of claims 1, 3 and 4, wherein

the communication path interrupting means (28) is composed of relays (28a, 28b).

6. The signal transmission/reception device of an air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein

the centralized communication path (10) is composed of two signal lines (10a, 10b) for transmitting signals, and

the relays (28a, 28b) are composed to execute concurrent conduction or interruption of both the signal lines (10a,

3. A signal transmission/reception device of an air conditioner, comprising:

a plurality of control groups (8A, 8B, . . . ) in each of which a thermal-source-side control unit (5) for controlling a thermal-source-side unit (3) and a user-side control unit (6) for controlling a user-side unit (4) are connected to each other through a group communication path (7) so as to be capable of signal transmission and reception therebetween;

a centralized communication path (10) to which the thermal-source-side control units (5, 5, . . . ) are connected so that the thermal-source-side control units (5, 5, . . . ) are connected to each other to implement signal transmission and reception through the centralized communication path (10), and the respective group communication paths (7) are connected at the respective thermal-source-side control units (5, 5, . . . ) to the centralized communication path (10), thereby forming a single signal transmission/reception network (NW);

a centralized control unit (9) to which the centralized communication path (10) is connected, the centralized control unit (9) being operative for subjecting the thermal-source-side units (3, 3, . . . ) and the user-side units (4, 4, . . . ) to centralized control; and

communication path interrupting means (28) being operative for bringing interruption between each of the group communication paths (7) and the centralized communication path (10) so that a signal transmission and reception can be made only between the thermal-source-side control unit (5) and the user-side control unit (6) within each control group (8A, 8B, . . . ),

wherein

the thermal-source-side control unit (5) includes improper interconnection recognizing means (31) for outputting an improper interconnection detecting signal to the group communication path (7) when the thermal-source-side control unit (5) and the user-side control unit (6) in each of the control groups (8A, 8B, . . . ) receive a signal to be transmitted and received only between the thermal-source-side control unit (5) and the user-side control unit (6) which both belong in any one of the other control groups (8A, 8B, . . . ), during a period in which the communication interrupting means (2B) brings interruption between each of the group communication paths (7) and the centralized communication path (10) whereby a signal transmission and reception are made only between the thermal-source-side control unit (5) and the user-side control unit (6) within each control group (8A, 8B, . . . ).

4. A signal transmission/reception device of an air conditioner comprising:

a plurality of control groups (8A, 8B, . . . ) in each of which a thermal-source-side control unit (5) for controlling a thermal-source-side unit (3) and a user side control unit (6) for controlling a user-side unit (4) are connected to each other through a group communication path (7) so as to be capable of signal transmission and reception therebetween;

a centralized communication path (10) to which the thermal-source-side control units (5, 5, . . . ) are connected so that the thermal-source-side control units (5, 5, . . . ) are connected to each other to implement signal transmission and reception through the centralized communication path (10), and the respective group communication paths (7) are connected at the respective thermal-source-side control units (5, 5, . . . ) to the centralized communication path (10), thereby forming a single signal transmission/reception network (NW);

a centralized control unit (9) to which the centralized communication path is connected, the centralized control unit (9) being operative for subjecting the thermal-source-side units (3, 3, . . . ) and the user-side units (4, 4, . . . ) to centralized control; and

communication path interrupting means (28) being operative for bringing conduction and interruption between each of the group communication paths (7) and the centralized communication path (10);

communication condition judging means (32) for outputting a failure signal when at least one of the group communication paths (7) falls into a communication failure during a period in which the communication interrupting means (28) brings interruption between each of the group communication paths (7) and the centralized communication path (10) whereby a signal transmission and reception are made only between the thermal-source-side unit (5) and the user-side unit (6) within each control group (8A, 8B, . . . ), and for outputting a failure signal when any of the group communication paths (7) does not fall into a communication failure and the centralized communication path (10) falls into a communication failure, during a period in which the communication interruption means (28) brings conduction between each of the group communication paths (7) and the centralized communication path (10) whereby a signal transmission and reception are made among the control groups (8A, 8B, . . . );

and

communication path break instructing means (33) for receiving an output of the communication condition judging means (32), instructing the communication path interrupting means (28), when at least one of the group communication paths (7) falls into a communication failure, to execute interruption between the group communication path (7) in communication failures and the centralized communication path (10), and instructing the communication path interrupting means (28), when the centralized communication path (10) falls into a communication failure, to execute interruption between each of all the group communication paths (7, 7, . . . ) and the centralized communication path (10).