Air conditioner

• US 9,632,517 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2013
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Kaneko, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Karim, Ziaul
• Application Number:
  US13/849,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20130297077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 700276-278
• 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 11/62 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 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence

Abstract

An air conditioner includes: an air-conditioning control unit; a data read and write unit; a data control unit; and an operation unit. The air-conditioning control unit controls air-conditioning running based on running information; the data read and write unit to which a storage medium configured to store therein data can be removably connected; the data control unit transfers the running information and the operation setting information transmitted from the air-conditioning control unit to the data read and write unit; and the operation unit can input the operation setting information for performing an operation of the air-conditioning running.

Claims

1. An air conditioner comprising:

an air-conditioning control unit that controls air-conditioning running based on running information and operation setting information stored in a nonvolatile memory of the air-conditioning control unit, the running information is action information during running;

a data read and write unit to which a storage medium configured to store therein data is physically and removably connected, the data read and write unit writes the running information and the operation setting information transmitted from the air-conditioning control unit in the storage medium and reads the running information and the operation setting information stored in the storage medium from the storage medium;

a data control unit that, during air-conditioning running, transfers, at a pre-determined periodic timing, the running information and the operation setting information transmitted from the air-conditioning control unit to the data read and write unit to be written in the storage medium; and

an operation unit that inputs the operation setting information for performing an operation of the air-conditioning running,

the air-conditioning control unit is mounted on a same control board as the data read and write unit and the storage medium which stores data for the air-conditioning control;

the operation unit that inputs the operation setting information is separated from the control board on which the air-conditioning control unit is mounted;

wherein

when the air-conditioning running is re-started after being stopped due to board replacement or initialization of the nonvolatile memory,

the air-conditioning control unit causes, responsive to the re-start or initialization, the data read and write unit to read the running information and the operation setting information which was stored at the periodic timing in the storage medium before running was stopped,

then the data control unit transfers, responsive to the re-start or initialization, after the data read and write unit reads the running information and the operation setting information which was stored before running was stopped, to the air-conditioning control unit, the running information and the operation setting information that are from before the running was stopped and that are read from the storage medium by the data read and write unit,

then, responsive to the re-start or initialization, after the running information and the operation setting information that are from before the running was stopped are transferred to the air-conditioning control unit, the air-conditioning control unit runs the air-conditioning control based on the running information and the operation setting information that are from before the running was stopped and that are received from the data control unit,

wherein the air-conditioning control unit automatically transmits the running information and the operation setting information to the data control unit on a regular basis,

wherein the operation unit transmits, to the air-conditioning control unit, information for setting an interval at which the air-conditioning control unit automatically transmits the running information and the operation setting information to the data control unit.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit that performs transmission and reception of data between the data control unit and the data read and write unit in a bidirectional manner, wherein

the data control unit stores the running information and the operation setting information received from the air-conditioning control unit in a storage file together with storage-date information, and the transmits the storage file to the data read and write unit via the communication unit, and

the data read and write unit receives the storage file from the data control unit and writes the received file in the storage medium.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the operation unit transmits, to the air-conditioning control unit, an instruction for the air-conditioning control unit to cause the data read and write unit to read the running information and the operation setting information stored in the storage medium before stop of running, from the storage medium.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the air-conditioning control unit, the data control unit, the communication unit, and the data read and write unit are provided on the same control board.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein

the air-conditioning control unit stores the running information and the operation setting information in the nonvolatile memory on the same control board, and

the storage medium is a physically separate medium from the nonvolatile memory.