Integrated management system for multi-air conditioner and integrated management method thereof

• US 7,876,231 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jun-Tae, Youn, Sang-Chul, Jeon, Duck-Gu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Lam P
• Application Number:
  US11/948,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 340679-684, 700275-276, 702/188
• US Class Current: 340/679
• 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 11/32 Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• 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

Abstract

An integrated management system having at least one air conditioner group including a plurality of air conditioners, and a remote integrated management system connected to the at least one air conditioner group and configured to analyze operation state information related to the plurality of air conditioners in the at least one air conditioner group and to generate an alarm signal based on the analyzed operation state information.

Claims

1. An integrated management system, comprising:

a plurality of air conditioner systems comprising at least one air conditioner group including a plurality of air conditioners, and a local controller connected to the at least one air conditioner group via a gateway and configured to convert operation state information comprising malfunction information, priority information indicating priority levels of the malfunction information and regular inspection service information indicating that at least one air conditioner needs a regular inspection service, related to the plurality of air conditioners according to a remote communication protocol; and

a remote integrated management system connected to the plurality of air conditioner systems and configured to receive the converted operation state information from the local controller, to analyze the operation state information related to the plurality of air conditioners in the plurality of air conditioner systems, and to generate an alarm signal based on the analyzed operation state information,

wherein the remote integrated management system comprises;

an application server configured to analyze the malfunction information indicating that at least one air conditioner in the at least one air conditioner group has malfunctioned and the priority information indicating priority levels of the malfunction information, and the regular inspection service information indicating that at least one air conditioner needs a regular inspection service, and to transmit an alarm signal to a service personnel based on the analyzed malfunction information and priority information, or the regular inspection service information; and

a database server configured to store service records or history corresponding to determined malfunctions, the service that has been performed and other data corresponding to controlling the plurality of air conditioner systems, systems; and

a monitoring server configured to display the malfunction information, the regular inspection service information and the priority information for the plurality of air conditioners, wherein the application server is further configured to transmit the alarm signal to the service personnel via a short message when the priority information indicates the priority level of the malfunction is high, and transmit the alarm signal to the service personnel via an email message when the priority information indicates the priority level of the malfunction is low.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the application server further includes a storage unit configured to store the priority levels of the malfunction information and the service records for the plurality of air conditioners.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an exclusive service group connected to the local controller and the remote integrated management system and configured to receive the alarm signal from the remote integrated management system and provide service for a corresponding air conditioner based on the alarm signal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the malfunction information and the regular inspection service information are transmitted from the at least one air conditioner to the remote management system automatically and without user intervention.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the malfunction information and the regular inspection service information are transmitted directly to the service personnel.

6. An integrated management method for controlling a plurality of air conditioner systems having at least one air conditioner group including a plurality of air conditioners, a local controller connected to the at least one air conditioner group via a gateway, and a remote integrated management system connected to the at least one air conditioner group, the method comprising:

converting, via the local controller, operation state information comprising malfunction information, priority information indicating priority levels of the malfunction information and regular inspection service information indicating that at least one air conditioner needs a regular inspection service, related to the plurality of air conditioners according to a remote communication protocol;

receiving, via the remote integrated management system, the converted operation state information from the local controller, analyzing the operation state information related to the plurality of air conditioners in the plurality of air conditioner systems, and generating an alarm signal based on the analyzed operation state information;

analyzing, via an application server included in the remote integrated management system, the malfunction information indicating that at least one air conditioner in the at least one air conditioner group has malfunctioned and the priority information indicating priority levels of the malfunction information, and the regular inspection service information indicating that the at least one air conditioner needs a regular inspection service;

transmitting, via the application server, an alarm signal to a service personnel based on the analyzed malfunction information and priority information, or the regular inspection service information; and

storing, via a database server included in the remote integrated management system, service records or history corresponding to determined malfunctions, the service that has been performed and other data corresponding to controlling the plurality of air conditioner systems; and

displaying the malfunction information, the regular inspection service information and the priority information for the plurality of air conditioners,

wherein the generating step transmits the alarm signal to the service personnel via a short message when the priority information indicates the priority level of the malfunction is high, and transmits the alarm signal to the service personnel via an email message when the priority information indicates the priority level of the malfunction is low.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing the priority levels of the malfunction information and the service records for the plurality of air conditioners.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

providing service for a corresponding air conditioner based on the alarm signal.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the malfunction information and the regular inspection service information are transmitted from the at least one air conditioner to the service personnel automatically and without user intervention.