Indoor and outdoor unit communication via signal from a power line

• US 7,523,619 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2004
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Appliances Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Appliances Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Akiyama, Noboru, Sato, Keiji, Taniguchi, Koichi, Kojima, Yasuyuki, Yamauchi, Tatsumi, Tokushige, Koichi, Onaka, Takeshi, Bunkou, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): JIANG, CHEN WEN
• Application Number:
  US10/823,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20050005619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 621/32, 622/31, 629/12, 629/14, 621/27, 62/94, 236/1.C, 236/51, 700/726
• US Class Current: 62/132
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0003 characterised by a split arrangement, wherein parts of the air-conditioning system, e.g. evaporator and condenser, are in separately located units
• 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 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/72 for controlling the supply of treated air, e.g. its pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/86 by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/871 by controlling outdoor fans

Abstract

An air conditioning system is arranged to use a power line for communication. The air conditioning system includes one or more indoor units, one or more outdoor units, and a system controller for controlling the indoor units or outdoor units and executes communications between the indoor units and the outdoor units as overlapping a signal on the power line for supplying electric power. The outdoor units are connected with the system controller through a leased communication line. The indoor unit provides a power line communication device being connected with the power line. The outdoor unit provides a leased communication device being connected with the leased communication line. A bridge is also provided for connecting the leased communication line and the power line. The control information is exchanged mutually between the indoor units, the outdoor units and the system controller through the power line.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system having a plurality of indoor unit, at least one outdoor unit, and a system controller for controlling said plurality of indoor units or said at least one outdoor unit and arranged to execute communications between said plurality of indoor units and said at least one outdoor unit, comprising:

a first power line for supplying electrical power to said at least one outdoor unit;

a leased wire communication line for connecting said at least one outdoor unit with said system controller and bridges, each of said bridges being connected via a second power line supplying electric power to at least one of said plurality of indoor units;

a leased communication means provided in said at least one outdoor unit being connected with said leased wire communication line;

an adapter being connected with said second power line;

a power line communication means provided in said adapter being connected with said second power line;

high speed communication means provided in said adapter and one of said plurality of indoor units respectively, and being connected through the leased wire communication line to each other;

a blocking filter disposed in said second power line to avoid transmission of control information from said second power line to another second power line;

wherein control information is exchanged mutually between said at least one outdoor unit and said bridges via said leased wire communication line, between one of said bridges and said adapter via said second power line, and between said adapter and one of said plurality of indoor units via said leased wire communication line.

2. An air conditioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first power line is arranged to supply electric power to said at least one outdoor unit through a three-phase power line and said second power line is arranged to supply electric power to said one of said plurality of indoor units through a single-phase power line.

3. An air conditioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bridges and said adapter provide protocol converting means.

4. An air conditioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said bridges is served to pass only data oriented for said plurality of indoor units being connected with said second power line from said leased wire communication line to said second power line.