JP2001201142A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide an air conditioner in which the control cost is reduced by using a common control board. SOLUTION: A discriminating means 1c for discriminating whether the outdoor unit 1 is for one unit or a plurality of units and a discrimination information storage unit 1d for storing a discrimination result from the discriminating unit are provided.
Based on the discrimination information received by the communication means 2b, a number discriminating means 2c for judging one or a plurality of discriminators, a number discriminating result storing means 2d for storing the discriminating result, and a And the number switching means 2e for switching to one or a plurality of units for control, so that, for example, both programs for one and a plurality of units are written in the program ROM of the indoor unit, The program can be switched to one or a plurality of programs based on the determination result.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to a method for switching the number of air conditioners produced for one or a plurality of units.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 6, an air conditioner composed of an outdoor unit 1 and at least one indoor unit 2 comprises:
In the control board 4 provided in the indoor unit 2, there is provided a model information storage unit 2a for storing information for one or a plurality of units, and the same model information is stored in the communication unit 2b, the communication line 3, the outdoor unit 1 By transmitting the information to the outdoor unit 1 via the communication unit 1b provided in the above, the outdoor unit 1 performs control for one or a plurality of units below this information. However, in this configuration, the indoor unit 2 must be manufactured separately for one unit and for a plurality of units, and the control board 4 provided for the indoor unit 2 cannot be shared, and the manufacturing cost cannot be reduced. There was a problem.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an air conditioner in which the control board is shared and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

[0004]

According to the present invention, there is provided an outdoor unit having first model information storage means for storing model information and communication means for exchanging information with an indoor unit. An air conditioner connected to an outdoor unit and including at least one indoor unit including second model information storage means for storing model information and communication means for exchanging information with the outdoor unit, wherein the outdoor unit includes While providing a discriminating means for discriminating whether it is for one or a plurality of devices, and discriminating information storage means for storing a discrimination result from the discriminating means, based on the discriminating information received by the communication means in the indoor unit Number determining means for determining whether the number is for one or more, number determining result storing means for storing the determination result, and number switching for controlling for one or more based on the number determination result Air conditioner with means It has been with the machine.

[0005] The first model information storage means is provided with a storage area for the discrimination result, and the discrimination result is stored as a part of the model information of the outdoor unit. The air conditioner is also used as an information storage means.

[0006] The second model information storage means is provided with a storage area for the number determination result, and the number determination result is stored as a part of the model information of the indoor unit. The air conditioner is also used as a model information storage means.

[0007] The air conditioner is characterized in that the discriminating means discriminates between one unit and a plurality of units based on the number of power supply lines connecting the indoor units.

[0008] The air conditioner is characterized in that the discriminating means discriminates whether it is for one or a plurality of indoor units based on the number of indoor units communicable by the communicating means.

[0009] The communication means is an air conditioner which exchanges the model information when the power is turned on.

The communication means is an air conditioner that exchanges the model information again when the power of the indoor unit is additionally started.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an air conditioner according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a main part block diagram showing an embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, an outdoor unit 1 and at least one indoor unit 2 constitute an air conditioner, and are connected to terminal boards 8 and 8 'by electric wires 9, respectively. The outdoor unit 1 includes a first model information storage unit 1a composed of a rewritable EEPROM or the like for storing model information, a determination unit 1c for determining whether one unit is used or a plurality of units, and a determination unit 1c. And a communication unit 1b for transmitting the discrimination information to the indoor unit 2, and a control unit 1f for controlling the respective units. The discriminating means 1c communicates with the indoor unit 2, for example, and the connected indoor unit 2
If the number is one, it is determined that the number is one, and if the number is two or more, it is determined that the number is a plurality. This discrimination information is written in the discrimination information storage means 1d, but this discrimination information storage means 1d may be provided in the first model information storage means 1a. The discrimination result is once written as a part of transmission information in a separately provided transmission information storage unit 1e, and then transmitted from the communication unit 1b to each indoor unit 2.

The indoor unit 2 is provided with a control board 4. The control board 4 has a second model information storage means 2a composed of a rewritable EEPROM or the like for storing model information, and the outdoor unit. A communication unit 2b for receiving the discrimination information transmitted from the communication unit 1; a number discrimination unit 2c for discriminating one or a plurality of devices based on the discrimination information received by the communication unit 2b; A number-of-units determination result storage unit 2d, a number-of-units switching unit 2e for switching to one or a plurality of units based on the number-of-units determination result, and a control unit 2f for controlling each unit. The control unit 2
f has a program ROM 2f1 for switchably storing a control program for one device and a control program for a plurality of devices, and the control program is switched by the number switching means 2e. An operation unit 6 and a display unit 7 are mounted on a substrate 5 formed integrally with or separate from the control substrate 4. Although not shown, a light emitting / receiving device may be provided on the substrate 5, and the operation unit 6 and the display unit 7 may be a wireless remote controller including the light emitting / receiving device.

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining another embodiment of the discriminating means 1c of the air conditioner according to the present invention, and is a sectional view of a main part of a detection switch. As shown in the figure, a detection switch 8a that opens and closes when the electric wire 9 from the indoor unit 2 is inserted into the terminal board 8 provided in the outdoor unit 1 is provided. Alternatively, it may be determined whether the room is a multi-room.

FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart showing an operation for determining the number of the air conditioners. The operation will be described below with reference to FIG. When the power of the air conditioner is turned on, first, the determination unit 1c of the outdoor unit 1 checks whether the indoor unit 2 is connected (st1). If the connection is not established, the connection is switched to a test mode or the like after notifying that the connection is not established by any method (for example, turning on a warning lamp) (st2). If connected, check how many more are connected (st
3). As described above, the above operation is performed, for example, by communicating with the indoor unit 2 and counting the number of connected indoor units 2 or by counting the number of detections of the detection switch 8a. For two or more units, it is determined that it is for multiple units. This result is written into the determination information storage means 1d provided in the first model information storage means 1a as determination information (st4) and (st5). This determination information is also temporarily written as a part of the transmission information in the transmission information storage means 1e (st6), (st7), and then transmitted from the communication means 1b to each indoor unit 2 (st6).
8).

On the other hand, the indoor unit 2 waits for communication with the outdoor unit 1 (st9). When transmission information is received by the communication unit 2b, the number determination unit 2c reads out the determination information from the information and uses it for one unit. (St10), and the determination result is stored in the number determination result storage means 2d (st10).
11). The number switching means 2e switches the control program stored in the program ROM 2f1 to one or a plurality of units based on the number determination result stored in the number determination result storage means 2d (st12), and based on the control program. Each unit is controlled by the control unit 2f (st
13).

FIG. 4 shows an example of configuration data of model information stored in the first model information storage means 1a provided in the outdoor unit 1. As shown in the 25th bit in the drawing, the above-described discrimination information of the number may be stored as a part of the model information.

FIG. 5 shows an example of configuration data of transmission information stored in the transmission information storage means 1e provided in the outdoor unit 1. As shown in the tenth bit in the figure, the discrimination information of the number is stored in the transmission information storage means 1e as a part of the transmission information and transmitted.

[0018]

As described above, according to the air conditioner of the present invention, an outdoor unit including first model information storage means for storing model information and communication means for exchanging information with the indoor unit, The second that is connected to the same outdoor unit and stores model information
Discriminating means for discriminating whether the outdoor unit is for one or more units, in an air conditioner comprising at least one indoor unit comprising a model information storage unit of the type and a communication unit for exchanging information with the outdoor unit. And a discrimination information storage means for storing a discrimination result from the discrimination means. Since the determination means, the number determination result storage means for storing the determination result, and the number switching means for controlling by switching to one or a plurality of units based on the same number determination result, for example, the indoor unit Since the program for one unit and the program for plural units are written in the program ROM provided on the control board, and the program for one unit or plural units can be switched based on the result of the number judgment, the control unit Can commonality of, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a main block diagram showing an embodiment of an air conditioner according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining another embodiment of the determination means of the air conditioner according to the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a detection switch.

FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart illustrating the operation of an embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a first diagram illustrating an outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present invention.
4 shows an example of configuration data of model information stored in a model information storage unit.

FIG. 5 shows an example of configuration data of transmission information stored in transmission information storage means provided in the outdoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a main block diagram showing a conventional air conditioner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 outdoor unit 1a first model information storage means 1b communication means 1c determination means 1d determination information storage means 1e transmission information storage means 1f control unit 2 indoor unit 2a second model information storage means 2b communication means 2c number determination means 2d number Judgment result storage means 2e Number switching means 2f Control section 2f1 Program ROM 4 Control board 5 Board 6 Operation section 7 Display section 8 Terminal board 8a Detection switch 9 Electric wire

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An outdoor unit comprising first model information storage means for storing model information and communication means for exchanging information with an indoor unit, and a second model connected to the outdoor unit and storing model information. In an air conditioner including at least one indoor unit including an information storage unit and a communication unit for exchanging information with the outdoor unit, a determination unit that determines whether the outdoor unit is for one unit or for a plurality of units. A determination information storage unit that stores a determination result from the determination unit; and a number determination unit that determines whether one indoor unit or a plurality of indoor units is used based on the determination information received by the communication unit in the indoor unit. An air conditioner comprising: a number-of-units determination result storage means for storing the same determination result; and a number-of-units switching means for switching and controlling one or a plurality of units based on the number-of-units determination result. 2. A storage area for the discrimination result is provided in the first model information storage means, and the discrimination result is stored as a part of the model information of the outdoor unit, so that the discrimination information storage means is stored in the first model information storage means. 2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioner is also used as the model information storage means. 3. A storage area for a number determination result is provided in the second model information storage means, and the number determination result is stored as a part of model information of the indoor unit, whereby the number determination result storage means is stored. 2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioner is also used as a second model information storage unit. 4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the determining means determines whether the power supply is for one unit or for a plurality of units based on the number of power supply lines connecting the indoor units. 5. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the determining means determines whether the number of indoor units is one or more based on the number of indoor units communicable by the communication unit. 6. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit exchanges the model information when the power is turned on. 7. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit exchanges the model information again when the power supply of the indoor unit is additionally started. Machine.