Integrated management system and method using setting information back-up for controlling multi-type air conditioners

• US 7,974,740 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Youn, Sang-Chul, Jeon, Duck-Gu, Kim, Jun-Tae
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ramesh B
• Application Number:
  US11/945,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20080185448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 700276-278, 621/26, 621/29, 621/32, 165200-201, 165/203, 136/1.B, 136/51
• US Class Current: 700/276
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• 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: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode

Abstract

An integrated management system for controlling multi-type air conditioners can use a remote integrated management system to securely and automatically back up setting information for a local controller provided in at least one air conditioner system, which is disposed in a room or office and is being operated, thereby allowing an improvement of stability of the integrated management system.

Claims

1. An integrated management system for controlling a plurality of air conditioners, the integrated management system comprising:

at least one air conditioner system including at least one air conditioner group provided with a local controller connected to a plurality of air conditioners of the at least one air conditioner group via a gateway, and configured to monitor changes in setting information related to the at least one air conditioner group, convert the setting information based on the monitored changes into setting information data according to a remote communication protocol to transmit the setting information data, and restore the setting information related to the local controller when an error occurs in the setting information.

2. The integrated management system of claim 1, wherein the at least one air conditioner system comprises:

a backup and restoring module configured to monitor the changes in the setting information, wherein when the setting information is changed, the backup and restoring module converts the changed setting information into setting information data for back-up according to the remote communication protocol for transmission.

3. The integrated management system of claim 2, wherein the backup and restoring module transmits a request signal for restoring the setting information when the error occurs in the setting information, and restores the setting information related to the local controller into setting information for back-up as a response signal with respect to the request signal.

4. A system for controlling a plurality of air conditioners, the system comprising:

a remote integrated management system configured to receive setting information data from at least one air conditioner system including at least one air conditioner group and store the setting information data for back-up, based on a remote communication protocol, and to convert and transmit the stored setting information data for back-up according to the remote communication protocol when a restoration is requested.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the remote integrated management system comprises:

a data collecting module configured to receive the setting information data for back-up based on the remote communication protocol from the at least one air conditioner system;

a network entity configured to classify the received setting information data for back-up for each at least one air conditioner group and store the classified data; and

a data transmitting module configured to convert the setting information data for back-up stored in the network entity into setting information data for restoration based on the remote communication protocol for transmission.

6. An integrated management system for controlling a plurality of air conditioners, the system comprising:

at least one air conditioner system including at least one air conditioner group provided with a local controller connected to a plurality of air conditioners of the at least one air conditioner group via a gateway, and configured to monitor changes in setting information related to the at least one air conditioner group and convert the setting information based on the monitored changes into setting information data for back-up according to a remote communication protocol to transmit the setting information data; and

a remote integrated management system configured to receive and store the setting information data for back-up based on the remote communication protocol from the at least one air conditioner system, and convert and transmit the stored setting information data for back-up according to the remote communication protocol when a restoration is requested.

7. The integrated management system of claim 6, wherein the at least one air conditioner system comprises:

a backup and restoring module configured to monitor the changes in the setting information, wherein when the backup and restoring module monitors that the setting information is changed, the backup and restoring module converts the changed setting information into the setting information data for back-up according to the remote communication protocol for transmission.

8. The integrated management system of claim 7, wherein the backup and restoring module transmits a request signal to restore the setting information when an error occurs in the setting information, and restores the setting information related to the local controller into the setting information data for back-up as a response signal with respect to the request signal.

9. The integrated management system of claim 6, wherein the remote integrated management system comprises:

a data-for-backup collecting module configured to receive the setting information data for back-up based on the remote communication protocol from the at least one air conditioner system;

a database server configured to classify the received setting information data for back-up for each of the at least one air conditioner group and store the classified data; and

a remote data-for-restoration transmitting module configured to convert the setting information data for back-up stored in the database server into setting information data for a restoration based on the remote communication protocol for transmission.

10. An integrated management method for controlling a plurality of air conditioners, the method comprising:

monitoring setting information related to a local controller;

transmitting the setting information when any change is found in the monitored setting information;

receiving the transmitted setting information and storing the setting information as setting information for back-up;

requesting a restoration of the setting information when an error occurs in the monitored setting information related to the local controller; and

receiving the stored setting information as the setting information for back-up and restoring the setting information for the local controller into the received setting information for back-up.

11. An integrated management method for controlling a plurality of air conditioners, the method comprising:

monitoring setting information of a local controller;

requesting a restoration of the setting information when an error occurs in the monitored setting information;

detecting most recently stored setting information according to the restoration request, and transmitting the detected setting information as setting information for restoration; and

receiving the restoration setting information, and restoring the setting information for the local controller into the received setting information for restoration.

12. An integrated management system for controlling a plurality of air conditioners, the integrated management system comprising:

a data collecting device that communicates with at least one air conditioning system including at least one air conditioner group in order to collect data related to any changes or updates in operation setting information;

a data transmitting device that communicates with the at least one air conditioning system in order to transmit data related to data back-up or data restoration; and

a storage medium connected with the data collecting device and the data transmitting device, wherein the changed or updated operation setting information is stored in the storage medium to be used for data back-up or data restoration.