Equipment item management system, control method thereof, and equipment item management apparatus
First Claim
1. An equipment item management system comprising:
- one or more first air conditioners that operate according to a first communication method;
one or more second air conditioners that operate according to a second communication method different from the first communication method and include light reception means for receiving information according to an optical communication method and means for converting the information according to the optical communication method by the light reception means into information according to the second communication method;
management means that is connected to the first air conditioner and operates according to the first communication method to manage the first air conditioner;
an interface having a first communication means configured to receive information from the management means, control means for converting the information received from the management means by the first communication means from the first communication method into the optical communication method, and light transmission means for transmitting the information converted by the control means to the second air conditioner;
wherein the management means;
identifies a manufacturer of the second air conditioner;
is connected to the second air conditioner via the interface that is connected to the management means which communicates by the first communication method; and
manages the second air conditioner by transmitting a command corresponding to the manufacturer of the second air conditioner, also, that operates according to the different communication method.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A first communication section in an optical communication interface communicates with outdoor units and indoor units using a first communication method. A central management controller communicates with the optical communication interface using the first communication method and manages the outdoor units and the indoor units according to the first communication method. A second method communication section in a second communication method indoor unit of a different manufacturer communicates with a second method communication section in a second communication method outdoor unit using a second communication method. The optical communication interface and the second communication method indoor unit exchange information by optical communication with each other using respective optical communication sections.
11 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An equipment item management system comprising:
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one or more first air conditioners that operate according to a first communication method; one or more second air conditioners that operate according to a second communication method different from the first communication method and include light reception means for receiving information according to an optical communication method and means for converting the information according to the optical communication method by the light reception means into information according to the second communication method; management means that is connected to the first air conditioner and operates according to the first communication method to manage the first air conditioner; an interface having a first communication means configured to receive information from the management means, control means for converting the information received from the management means by the first communication means from the first communication method into the optical communication method, and light transmission means for transmitting the information converted by the control means to the second air conditioner; wherein the management means; identifies a manufacturer of the second air conditioner; is connected to the second air conditioner via the interface that is connected to the management means which communicates by the first communication method; and manages the second air conditioner by transmitting a command corresponding to the manufacturer of the second air conditioner, also, that operates according to the different communication method. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An equipment item management apparatus comprising:
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a central controller having control means configured to; control temperature of a first air conditioner and a second air conditioner; and identify a manufacturer of the second air conditioner; and communication means for outputting an electric signal to a network to which the air conditioners are connected based on; a temperature set by the control means; and an interface having reception means that is connected to the network and receives the electric signal transmitted to the network, and light output means that protocol-converts the electric signal received by the reception means and outputs the converted signal in a form of a wireless optical signal as a temperature setting command, wherein the first air conditioner is connected to the network and operates according to a first communication method, the second air conditioner operates according to the wireless optical signal output by the interface corresponding to the manufacturer of the second air conditioner and different from the first communication method, and the central controller is connected to the first air conditioner via the network, and is also connected to the second air conditioner via the interface that is connected to the central controller.
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19. A control method for an equipment item management system comprising:
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a first air conditioner that operates according to a first communication method; management means, which is connected to the first air conditioner, for; communicating with the first air conditioner according to the first communication method; and managing the first air conditioner; an interface, which is connected to the management means, for converting and transmitting the signal sent from the management means; and a second air conditioner, which is connected to the management means via the interface, including communication means for communicating according to a second communication method different from the first communication method and light reception means for receiving information according to an optical communication method, wherein the management means; identifies a manufacturer of the second air conditioner; and transmits a temperature setting command for specifying a set temperature of the second air conditioner using the first communication method using an electric signal, the interface converts the temperature setting command from the first communication method into the optical communication method and transmits the converted command corresponding to the manufacturer of the second air conditioner to the second air conditioner, and the second air conditioner receives the temperature setting command according to the optical communication method and controls a compressor based on the received temperature setting command. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification