Integrated management system and method for controlling multi-type air conditioners

• US 7,532,950 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Youn, Sang-Chul, Jeon, Duck-Gu, Cha, Byoung-Keun
• Primary Examiner(s): DeCady; Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee; Douglas S
• Application Number:
  US11/945,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20080188989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 700/277, 700/278, 621/49, 621/51, 621/57, 621/75, 622/24, 622/77, 625/27, 236/51, 709/230
• US Class Current: 700/277
• 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

Abstract

An integrated management system for controlling multi-type air conditioners can effectively enable to perform maintenance, management and after-service to at least one air conditioner systems by adding provision for product information into a communication protocol such that operation information and product information related to multi-type air conditioners from the at least one air conditioner system can be received, stored and used.

Claims

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

one or more air conditioner groups provided with multi-type air conditioners, at least one gateway, and a local controller connected to the multi-type air conditioners via the gateway, the multi-type air conditioners including at least one outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor units each connected to the outdoor unit;

one or more air conditioner systems each having the air conditioner groups, and configured to convert information data related to the air conditioner groups according to a remote communication protocol for transmission; and

a remote integrated management system configured to receive the information data according to the remote communication protocol from the air conditioner systems, and remotely control the air conditioner systems based on the information data,

wherein the information data comprises one or more of operation information or product information of the outdoor units, the indoor units, the gateways, and the local controllers included in the air conditioner groups.

2. The integrated management system of claim 1, wherein the received data includes a header portion containing at least one of information related to the plurality of air conditioner systems and version information, and a body portion containing at least one of an outdoor unit ID, a group number, operation state, operation mode and product information.

3. The integrated management system of claim 1, wherein the remote integrated management system comprises:

an application server which analyzes data received from the plurality of air conditioner systems and writes operation control information based on the analysis result according to the remote communication protocol for transmission; and

a database server which stores product information analyzed by the application server.

4. The integrated management system of claim 3, wherein the remote integrated management system further comprises a monitoring server which displays product information and operation information related to the plurality of air conditioner systems.

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

converting information data related to one or more air conditioner groups according to a remote communication protocol for transmission, and transmitting the converted information data;

receiving the information data converted according to the remote communication protocol for analysis, analyzing the received information data, and transmitting operation control information based on the analysis result; and

analyzing the operation control information received according to the remote communication protocol and operating the one or more air conditioner groups based on the analysis result,

wherein the information data comprises one or more of operation information or product information of outdoor units, indoor units, gateways and local controllers included in the air conditioner groups.

6. The integrated management method of claim 5, further comprising storing the analyzed operation control information.

7. The integrated management method of claim 5, further comprising:

displaying product information and operation information related to a plurality of air conditioner systems.