JP2004070788A - Utility equipment management system and adapter for utility equipment management system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system for suppressing the occurrence of an error in the correspondence of an air conditioning equipment to be monitored with a plurality of adapters at a management apparatus side even when the air conditioning equipment to be monitored is connected through the plurality of adapters to the management apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: This system for managing air conditioning equipment to be monitored is provided with an air-conditioning central management apparatus 15 to which a specific protocol is adopted and general-purpose adapters 55 and 56. The general-purpose adapters 55 and 56 are interposed between an air conditioning central management apparatus 15 and an exterior unit 51 of the air conditioning equipment to carry out the conversion of a protocol. The general-purpose adapters 55 and 56 are provided with a dip switch 7 for grouping in order to indicate that they are belonging to a group which is common to other adapters. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an equipment management system and an adapter for the equipment management system.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, there has been a system that performs centralized monitoring by connecting equipment such as air conditioners installed in various buildings such as commercial buildings, office buildings, hospitals, hotels, warehouses, factories, etc. to remote monitoring centers installed remotely. Is appearing. For example, in the buildings 110, 110 ', and 110''shown in FIG. 5, a facility management device 115 that controls and manages a plurality of air conditioners such as an air conditioner including a plurality of indoor units 131 and outdoor units 121 is provided. Exists. The equipment management device 115 performs air conditioning control according to a command from an administrator of the building 110 or the like, or provides monitoring data of the state of the outdoor unit 121 or the indoor unit 131 to the administrator of the building 110 or the like. Fulfill. The equipment management device 115 is connected directly or indirectly to the server computer 181 of the external remote monitoring center 180 via the public line 90 or the like. Thus, the remote monitoring center 180 can provide a service that cannot be provided by the facility management device 115 inside the building 110 or the like alone to the manager or the owner of the building 110 or the like.
[0003]
Specifically, at the remote monitoring center 180, services are provided for monitoring the failure of the air-conditioning equipment of each building 110, etc., predicting failure, managing the fee for using the equipment, making improvement proposals by data analysis, creating various reports, and the like. I have.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In such a system, in a local system such as a building, the equipment to be monitored or controlled needs to be connected to the equipment management apparatus by the same communication protocol. However, when the manufacturer of the equipment management apparatus is different from the manufacturer of the equipment connected thereto, communication between the equipment management apparatus and the equipment cannot be established due to a difference in protocol. Even in such a case, the connection between the two can be established by interposing a general-purpose adapter for converting the protocol. For example, in a building where an air conditioning system is built around equipment management equipment and equipment of the same manufacturer that adopts the same protocol, if equipment of some other manufacturer exists, the same Equipment of another manufacturer can be connected to a network connecting the equipment management device and equipment of the manufacturer via a general-purpose adapter. As a result, it is possible to extend the sensor from a general-purpose adapter to the equipment of another manufacturer, detect the operation / stop contact of the parts of the equipment of another manufacturer, and monitor the equipment of another manufacturer in the equipment management device. It is possible to do.
[0005]
However, the number of contacts and the number of sensors of the general-purpose adapter are constant. Therefore, when the equipment to be monitored or the like via the adapter has many items that need to be monitored, it becomes difficult to use the general-purpose adapter. When the number of contacts and sensors of one general-purpose adapter is insufficient, it is possible to interpose a plurality of general-purpose adapters to one equipment, but in such a case, the following system setting error occurs. The probability of occurrence is high.
[0006]
That is, if a plurality of general-purpose adapters are interposed in one facility device, a grouping operation for specifying the facility device to which each adapter belongs in the facility management device is required. In this grouping work, the adapter placed at the installation location of each equipment device sends its own identification address to the equipment management device, so those adapters are divided into groups and associated with each equipment device. This is manually input by a facility management device (or a test run tool temporarily connected to the facility management device). This manual input work must be performed not at the site where each equipment is installed, but at the place where the equipment management device is installed.It is extremely difficult to perform the grouping work with visual confirmation. Difficult. For this reason, if a plurality of general-purpose adapters are interposed in one equipment, the probability of a setting error occurring in the grouping work in the equipment management device increases, and in order to eliminate the error, it is necessary to confirm many times. It must be made.
[0007]
On the other hand, it is conceivable to prepare a dedicated adapter with a large number of detectable contacts and sensors instead of a general-purpose adapter for equipment that has many monitored items to be detected. Preparing for each model has a great disadvantage in terms of cost.
An object of the present invention is to suppress occurrence of an error in the correspondence between the equipment and the adapter on the management device side even when the equipment to be managed is connected to the management device via a plurality of adapters. An object of the present invention is to provide an equipment management system and an adapter for the equipment management system.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An equipment management system according to claim 1 is an equipment management system for managing a target equipment, and includes a management device adopting a specific protocol and an adapter. The adapter is interposed between the management device and the equipment, and performs protocol conversion. This adapter has group identification means for indicating that the adapter belongs to a common group with other adapters. As the group identification means, for example, a switch capable of setting a group number can be used.
[0009]
Here, even with equipment that does not employ the protocol adopted by the management device, the equipment can be managed by the management device by inserting an adapter. Further, simply connecting the target equipment to the management device via one adapter cannot sufficiently manage the equipment, and one equipment must be connected to the management device via two or more adapters. In this case, since the adapter has the group identification means, if the group identification means is set so that two or more adapters for one facility device belong to a common group, the management apparatus side Then, the group to which each adapter belongs can be automatically recognized.
[0010]
As described above, even when two or more adapters are used for one piece of equipment, it is possible to suppress an error in associating the equipment with the adapter on the management device side.
A facility management system according to a second aspect is the facility management system according to the first aspect, wherein the adapter further includes an adapter identifying unit for identifying itself from other adapters.
[0011]
When the cost of the group identification means is reduced, the number of identifiable groups decreases. Therefore, if a group is set even in a case where one adapter is used for one facility device, the group identification means may not be able to handle the number of groups. In contrast, here, since each adapter is identified by the adapter identification means, if a virtual specific group is set for a case where one adapter is used for one facility device, the specific group is set on the management device side. Can recognize that each adapter is individually associated with the equipment, and can adopt the identification number of the adapter instead of the group to associate the adapter with the equipment.
[0012]
A facility management system according to a third aspect is the facility management system according to the first or second aspect, further comprising an input device. The input device is for inputting a name for the target equipment in the management device, and may be separate from the management device or may be built in the management device. This input device inputs a name for each group in the management device. The name is a model name of the equipment, a symbol or number for specifying the model, and the like.
[0013]
Here, since the group to which each adapter belongs can be recognized on the management device side by the group indicated by the group identification means, the name of the equipment device for each group is input by the input device, so that the , And an adapter group used for connection to the management device. In addition, since the adapter has the group identification means, the name of the equipment is not input after the grouping of the adapters with the input device as in the related art, but the management apparatus side automatically uses the group identification means. Only the name needs to be input to each group to be grouped using the input device.
[0014]
A facility management system according to a fourth aspect is the facility management system according to the third aspect, further comprising an adapter connection state storage device. The adapter connection state storage device stores a standard connection state of the adapter to the equipment for each name of the equipment connected to the management apparatus via the adapter. Then, the management device can connect to the adapter connection status storage device and capture the standard connection status of the adapter to the equipment.
[0015]
Here, even if the connection state of the adapter to the equipment is not manually input in the management device or the input device, if the adapter is connected to the equipment in the standard connection state, the adapter is taken from the adapter connection state storage device. The standard connection state of the adapter to the equipment can be used to manage the target equipment.
In capturing information from the adapter connection status storage device, it is not necessary to capture all of the information for each of the huge types of equipment, and only information about the equipment connected to the management device via the adapter is read. What is necessary is just to take in based on a name.
[0016]
The equipment management system according to claim 5 is the equipment management system according to claim 4, wherein the input device can input an actual connection state of the adapter to the equipment in the management device.
Here, if there is an exceptional state where some of the adapters associated with a certain equipment are not connected in the standard connection state, the adapter connection status storage device It is possible to input the actual connection state of the adapter to the equipment from the input device with respect to the exceptional state. For this reason, for example, even when the surplus part of the adapter is used in an exceptional connection state according to individual circumstances, it can be recognized by the management device.
[0017]
The adapter according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of adapters having the same specifications are used between the management device and one facility device when the target facility device is managed by the management device adopting a specific protocol. It is. Each of these adapters includes a conversion unit and a group identification unit. The conversion means converts a protocol between the management device and the equipment. The group identification unit is a unit for indicating that an adapter belongs to a common group with other adapters.
[0018]
The use of this adapter enables the management device to manage even equipment that does not employ the protocol adopted by the management device. Then, simply connecting the target equipment to the management device via one adapter cannot sufficiently manage the equipment, and one equipment is connected to the management device via two or more adapters of the same specification. Even in the case where the adapter has group identification means, if the group identification means is set so that two or more adapters for one facility device belong to a common group, the management device On the side, the group to which each adapter belongs can be automatically recognized.
[0019]
As described above, even when two or more adapters are used for one piece of equipment, it is possible to suppress an error in associating the equipment with the adapter on the management device side.
An adapter according to a seventh aspect is the adapter according to the sixth aspect, further comprising adapter identification means for identifying itself from other adapters.
[0020]
When the cost of the group identification means is reduced, the number of identifiable groups decreases. Therefore, if a group is set even in a case where one adapter is used for one facility device, the group identification means may not be able to handle the number of groups. On the other hand, here, since each adapter can be identified by the adapter identifying means, if a virtual specific group is set for a case where one adapter is used for one facility device, the management device side can specify the specific group. The group can recognize that each adapter is individually associated with the equipment, and can use the identification number of the adapter instead of the group to associate the adapter with the equipment.
[0021]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
<Overall configuration of air conditioning equipment monitoring system>
FIG. 1 shows an air conditioner monitoring system including a general-purpose adapter according to an embodiment of the present invention. The air-conditioning equipment monitoring system shown here is such that a company operating a remote monitoring center 80 has a building 10, etc., 10 ′, 10 ″, etc. in which an air-conditioning central management device 15 having a predetermined external communication function is deployed. This is a system for providing various services to owners and users of air conditioning equipment. The air conditioning equipment monitoring system includes a server computer 81 in a remote monitoring center 80 and a local air conditioning system in each building 10 and the like. The centralized air-conditioning management device 15 of the local air-conditioning system periodically transmits predetermined data to the server computer 81 in the remote monitoring center 80.
[0022]
<Configuration of server computer 81 of remote monitoring center 80>
The remote monitoring center 80 is installed to monitor the failure of the air-conditioning equipment of each building 10 and the like, predict the failure, manage the fee for using the equipment, propose improvement by data analysis, create various reports, and the like. have. The server computer 81 is composed of one or a plurality of computers, monitors and accumulates various data transmitted from the centralized air-conditioning management device 15 of each building 10 and the like, and performs many functions such as failure monitoring and creation of various reports. It has a function to provide services.
[0023]
Further, the server computer 81 stores a model-specific adapter standard connection data storage unit 81a for assisting a setting operation in the local air conditioning system. This will be described in detail when describing the setting operation of the local air conditioning system.
<Configuration of local air conditioning system for each building 10>
The local air-conditioning system provided in each building 10 or the like is a system in which a plurality of air-conditioning facilities having different refrigerant systems are collectively monitored and controlled by the air-conditioning central management device 15. Specifically, the air-conditioning central management device 15 performs air-conditioning control according to a command from an administrator or an owner of the building 10 or the like, or provides monitoring data on each air-conditioning facility to the administrator of the building 10 or the like. I do.
[0024]
In addition, the centralized air-conditioning management device 15 periodically (for example, once an hour) transmits a specific information group such as component information and temperature information of the air-conditioning equipment to the server computer 81 in the remote monitoring center 80, When an abnormality or the like occurs, a necessary information group is immediately transmitted to the server computer 81.
If the air-conditioning central management device 15 is an air-conditioning facility manufactured by a manufacturer of the air-conditioning central management device 15, a protocol which is a convention established for transmitting and receiving data in communication is often common, In the case of common use, they can be directly connected by a predetermined communication line. However, if there is a mixture of air conditioning equipment supplied by another manufacturer different from the manufacturer of the air conditioning central control device 15 due to reasons such as the owner of the building or the designer, the air conditioning equipment is directly concentrated on the air conditioning equipment. In many cases, it is not possible to connect to the management device 15. In such a case, a general-purpose adapter is provided in this local air-conditioning system so that the air-conditioning equipment of another manufacturer can be monitored by the centralized air-conditioning management device 15. 1 and 2 are general-purpose adapters denoted by reference numerals 35, 36, 37, 45, 55, and 56. These general-purpose adapters have the same configuration and the same specifications, and have six sensors 5 and three contacts 3 (see FIG. 3). Details of the general-purpose adapter will be described later.
[0025]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the local air-conditioning system in the building 10, the outdoor units 21, 31, 41, 51... ing. Are connected to the indoor units 22, 32, 42, 52,... By independent refrigerant systems and transmission lines, respectively. With such a configuration, the air-conditioning central management device 15 collects information on the air-conditioning equipment from the outdoor units 21, 31, 41, 51,.
[0026]
The outdoor unit 21 is directly connected to the transmission line 19 because the outdoor unit 21 conforms to a protocol used when the air-conditioning central management device 15 communicates via the transmission line 19.
Since the outdoor unit 31 is manufactured by another manufacturer and does not conform to the protocol of the centralized air-conditioning control device 15, the outdoor unit 31 is connected to the transmission line 19 via general-purpose adapters 35, 36, and 37. Since the outdoor unit 31 has a large number of monitoring items and cannot cover all monitoring items with only one general-purpose adapter, the centralized air-conditioning management device 15 acquires monitoring data using three general-purpose adapters 35, 36, and 37. I have to.
[0027]
The outdoor unit 41 is manufactured by another manufacturer and does not conform to the protocol of the centralized air-conditioning control device 15. Therefore, the outdoor unit 41 is connected to the transmission line 19 via the general-purpose adapter 45. Since this outdoor unit 41 can cover all monitoring items with only one general-purpose adapter, the centralized air-conditioning management device 15 acquires monitoring data using only the general-purpose adapter 45.
[0028]
Since the outdoor unit 51 is manufactured by another manufacturer and does not conform to the protocol of the centralized air-conditioning control device 15, it is connected to the transmission line 19 via the universal adapters 55 and 56. Since the outdoor unit 51 has a large number of monitoring items and cannot cover all monitoring items with only one general-purpose adapter, the centralized air-conditioning management device 15 obtains monitoring data using two general-purpose adapters 55 and 56.
[0029]
Next, the configuration of the general-purpose adapter will be described with reference to FIG. 3 taking the general-purpose adapters 55 and 56 as examples.
The general-purpose adapter according to the present embodiment has a single board or the like housed inside a casing, and includes six sensors 5 and three contacts 6, a protocol conversion unit 4, and an identification address DIP switch 7. , A grouping DIP switch 8 and an output unit 9. The sensor 5 is used, for example, to detect the discharge pipe temperature of the compressor of the outdoor unit 31. The contact 6 is used, for example, to detect the start / stop of the compressor of the outdoor unit 31 (a parameter related to the life of the compressor). The sensor 5 and the contact 6 are general-purpose, and can be applied to various monitoring items. The protocol conversion unit 4 converts data input from the sensor 5 and the contact 6 into a protocol of the centralized air-conditioning management device 15, and sends out the data from the output unit 9 to the transmission line 19. The identification address DIP switch 7 includes a plurality of DIP switches, and is set differently from other general-purpose adapters. The grouping DIP switch 8 includes a plurality of DIP switches (here, four DIP switches), and can set a group number from 0 to 15.
[0030]
<Local air conditioning system setting work>
[Local configuration work]
In the local air-conditioning system, first, the air-conditioning central management device 15 needs to grasp each connected air-conditioning equipment.
By directly connecting the air conditioning equipment including the outdoor unit 21 to the air conditioning central management device 15 via the transmission line 19, the model name of the air conditioning equipment and the data of the monitoring required items are automatically updated. 15 Therefore, with regard to the air-conditioning equipment, if data such as the actual installation location is input to the centralized air-conditioning management device 15 by the test operation tool (computer) 71, the basic setting is almost completed.
[0031]
On the other hand, for each of the air conditioners including the outdoor units 31, 41, and 51 connected to the centralized air-conditioning management device 15 via the general-purpose adapter, it is necessary to input the model name, and which general-purpose adapter It is necessary for the air-conditioning central management device 15 to determine whether the air conditioner is compatible with air conditioning equipment. Hereinafter, how the centralized air-conditioning management device 15 grasps the state of the air-conditioning equipment connected to the centralized air-conditioning management device 15 via the general-purpose adapter will be described.
[0032]
The outdoor unit 31 is equipped with three general-purpose adapters 35, 36 and 37, the outdoor unit 41 is equipped with one general-purpose adapter 45, and the outdoor unit 51 is equipped with two general-purpose adapters 55 and 56. It will be located near the outdoor units 31, 41, 51. Before these general-purpose adapters are attached to the outdoor units 31, 41, 51, unique identification addresses are set in advance by the identification address DIP switches 7 and group numbers are assigned by the grouping DIP switches 8. Is done. The identification address DIP switch 7 is set so that each adapter has a unique identification address. As for the group number, any number from 0 to 15 is set, but the same group is used for general-purpose adapters (for example, general-purpose adapters 35, 36, and 37) used as a bundle for the same air conditioning equipment. The number is set. That is, the general-purpose adapter group having the same group number is used as one group for monitoring one air conditioner. The general-purpose adapter used for the same air conditioner may have the same group number, and the group number itself may be any number that can be distinguished from other groups. In particular, it does not match the group number with the model name.
[0033]
On the other hand, when a single general-purpose adapter is used to monitor only one air conditioner, such as the general-purpose adapter 45 attached to the outdoor unit 41, the group number of the general-purpose adapter is set to 0. . This eliminates the necessity of assigning a unique group number to each of the modes that occupy the majority of the monitoring of one air conditioner by one general-purpose adapter, and eliminates the need to increase the number of DIP switches constituting the grouping DIP switch 8. . The general-purpose adapter group having a group number of 0 is identified by the identification address by the identification address DIP switch 7.
[0034]
In this way, the universal adapters to which the identification address and the group number are given in advance are respectively brought to the installation locations of the outdoor units 31, 41, 51,. Attached to equipment. At this time, the general-purpose adapter is taken to the outdoor units 31, 41, 51,... Of the corresponding air-conditioning equipment based on the group number (identification address if the group number is 0). When the general-purpose adapter attached to the air conditioning equipment is connected to the central air-conditioning management device 15 via the transmission line 19, the central air-conditioning management device 15 grasps the identification address and the group number of each general-purpose adapter. . At this stage, the air-conditioning central management device 15 grasps the air-conditioning equipment connected via the general-purpose adapter as shown in FIG. Here, it is recognized that an air conditioner exists for each general-purpose adapter when the group number is 0, and that an air conditioner exists for each group number when the group number is other than 0. When the model name is input from the test run tool 71 to each of the recognized air conditioning equipment, the air conditioning central management device 15 associates the air conditioning equipment, its model name, and the general-purpose adapter used for connection. Will be completed. Here, the model name of the character string is input from the test operation tool 71 to the centralized air-conditioning management device 15 for each air-conditioning facility that is distinguished.
[0035]
As described above, since the air-conditioning central management device 15 can automatically distinguish the air-conditioning equipment based on the identification address and the group number sent from the general-purpose adapter, the air-conditioning equipment is conventionally performed by the test run tool 71 here. Eliminates the need for grouping work (manual work) to determine the attribution of general-purpose adapters to air conditioning equipment.
[Setting operation by server computer in remote monitoring center]
When the model name is input by the test operation tool 71 and the association of the air conditioning equipment, its model name, and the general-purpose adapter used for connection is completed in the central air conditioning management device 15, the central air conditioning management device 15 It communicates with the server computer 81 inside. At the time of this communication, the server computer 81 transmits necessary data in the model-specific adapter standard connection data storage unit 81a to the air-conditioning central management device 15 according to the model name of the air-conditioning equipment connected to the air-conditioning central management device 15. I do.
[0036]
The model-specific adapter standard connection data storage unit 81a in the server computer 81 stores air-conditioning equipment that may be connected to the air-conditioning central management device 15 via a general-purpose adapter (protocol of the air-conditioning central management device 15 such as that of another manufacturer). Adapters that do not conform to the standard) are provided with adapter standard connection data. The adapter standard connection data stored here includes the number of general-purpose adapters used for the air conditioning equipment of the model and the connection destination of each sensor 5 or contact 6 of one or more general-purpose adapters.
[0037]
The data read from the model-specific adapter standard connection data storage unit 81a when the communication between the air conditioning central management device 15 and the server computer 81 is established for the air conditioning equipment (each model) connected to the air conditioning central management device 15 Is taken into the air-conditioning central management device 15. As a result, data is respectively entered in blanks such as “contact 1” and “sensor 1” shown in FIG.
[0038]
Normally, a general-purpose adapter is attached to the air-conditioning equipment in accordance with a manual that uses the contents in the model-specific adapter standard connection data storage unit 81a in the server computer 81 as a standard. Is a confirmation operation. However, when a general-purpose adapter that is contrary to the manual is attached due to local individual circumstances or the like, monitoring of equipment other than the air conditioner using the surplus sensor 5 or the contact 6 of the general-purpose adapter (for example, freezer) When monitoring (temperature monitoring) is performed, the data as shown in FIG.
[0039]
<Features of this system>
(1)
Here, even if an air conditioner of another manufacturer or the like that does not employ the protocol adopted in the centralized air conditioner 15 is monitored by the centralized air conditioner 15 by inserting a general-purpose adapter. can do.
[0040]
In addition, even in the case of an air conditioner (an air conditioner including the outdoor unit 31 or an air conditioner including the outdoor unit 51) that needs to collect data more than the specifications of one general-purpose adapter, a plurality of general-purpose adapters are used in a bundle. Monitoring becomes possible. For this reason, various types of air conditioning equipment having different numbers of sensors and contacts can be monitored by the general-purpose adapter having the same specification. This eliminates the need for new development of a dedicated adapter.
[0041]
(2)
Conventionally, a general-purpose adapter has an identification address but no group number. Therefore, only the identification address of the general-purpose adapter can be grasped on the air-conditioning central management device 15 side, and how the general-purpose adapters are bundled and attached to which air conditioning equipment is determined by the test operation tool 71. Must be entered in. However, since the outdoor unit of each air conditioner and the centralized air conditioner 15 are usually installed in different places, the grouping work when inputting how the general-purpose adapters are bundled is not actually performed. It is difficult to visually check the general-purpose adapter. For this reason, a setting error often occurs when inputting the actual connection state between the air conditioner and the general-purpose adapter, and it takes much time to avoid the setting error by repeating the checking operation. In particular, as the number of air conditioners managed by other manufacturers managed by the local air conditioner system increases, the burden on the grouping work increases.
[0042]
In contrast, here, the target air conditioning equipment (the air conditioning equipment including the outdoor unit 31 and the air conditioning equipment including the outdoor unit 51) must be connected to the air conditioning central management device 15 via two or more general-purpose adapters. Also in this case, a group number can be assigned to a general-purpose adapter, so that a group number is assigned so that two or more general-purpose adapters for one air conditioner belong to a common group, and the air conditioning central management device 15 side Can automatically recognize the group to which each general-purpose adapter belongs. That is, the necessity for the grouping operation for determining the attribution of the general-purpose adapter to the air conditioning equipment, which has been conventionally performed by the test operation tool 71, is eliminated. In this case, even when two or more general-purpose adapters are used for one air-conditioning facility, there is almost no mistake in associating the air-conditioning facility with the general-purpose adapter on the air conditioning central management device 15 side.
[0043]
(3)
In the general-purpose adapter according to the present embodiment, the grouping DIP switch 8 includes four DIP switches, and 16 different group numbers from 0 to 15 can be assigned to the general-purpose adapter. However, if the number of air conditioners increases and exceeds 16, the group number cannot be assigned to each air conditioner.
[0044]
In view of this, here, by using the fact that each general-purpose adapter has its own identification address, when one general-purpose adapter is used for one air conditioner, 0 is set as a virtual specific group number. The centralized air-conditioning management device 15 recognizes that the general-purpose adapter group of group number 0 is independently associated with the air conditioning equipment. As described above, when the air conditioner and the general-purpose adapter correspond one-to-one, the air conditioner is distinguished by using the identification address of the adapter instead of the group number. As a result, the cost of the grouping DIP switch 8 can be reduced.
[0045]
(4)
Here, the general-purpose adapter can be used as a standard for the air-conditioning equipment without manually inputting the connection state of the general-purpose adapter to the air-conditioning equipment (the connection destination of each sensor 5 or the contact 6) in the air-conditioning central management device 15 or the test operation tool 71. If the connection is established in the connected state, the data of the standard connection state for the air conditioner of the general-purpose adapter taken from the server computer 81 can be used for monitoring the target air conditioner in the central air conditioner 15.
[0046]
<Modification>
(A)
In the above embodiment, the general-purpose adapter is used for the purpose of monitoring the air conditioning equipment. However, it may be used for controlling the air conditioning equipment.
(B)
In the above embodiment, the description is given assuming a multi-type air conditioner for a building as a target air conditioner. However, as an air conditioner that can be connected to the central air conditioner 15, other air conditioners such as a central air conditioner can be used. Air conditioning equipment. Also, for example, various types of equipment also exist in the central air-conditioning equipment depending on differences in heat source equipment such as chillers, centrifugal chillers, absorption chillers, and the like, and differences in secondary air conditioning equipment. As described above, there are various types of air conditioning equipment to be targeted, and in consideration of the differences between manufacturers, the model-specific adapter standard connection data storage unit 81a in the server computer 81 stores the local air conditioning concentration. The management device 15 has large data that cannot be stored.
[0047]
(C)
In the above embodiment, a grouping DIP switch including a plurality of DIP switches is employed as a means for assigning a group number to the general-purpose adapter. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The assignment and display of the group number may be performed by a memory and a small liquid crystal display device.
[0048]
【The invention's effect】
In the facility management system according to the first aspect, simply connecting the target equipment to the management device via one adapter cannot sufficiently manage the equipment, and one equipment cannot be managed via two or more adapters. Even when it is necessary to connect to the management device, since the adapter has the group identification means, the group identification means is set so that two or more adapters for one equipment belong to a common group. Then, the management device can automatically recognize the group to which each adapter belongs. As described above, even when two or more adapters are used for one piece of equipment, it is possible to suppress an error in associating the equipment with the adapter on the management device side.
[0049]
In the equipment management system according to the second aspect, since each adapter is identified by the adapter identification means, if a virtual specific group is set for a case where one adapter is used for one equipment device, the management apparatus side In a specific group, the adapter can be recognized as being independently associated with the equipment, and the adapter can be associated with the equipment by adopting an adapter identification number or the like instead of the group.
[0050]
In the equipment management system according to claim 3, since the group to which each adapter belongs can be recognized on the management apparatus side by the group indicated by the group identification means, the name of the equipment is input for each group by the input device, so that the management apparatus In, the equipment, its name, and the adapter group used for connection to the management device can be associated with each other. In addition, since the adapter has the group identification means, the name of the equipment is not input after the grouping of the adapters with the input device as in the related art, but the management apparatus side automatically uses the group identification means. Only the name needs to be input to each group to be grouped using the input device.
[0051]
In the facility management system according to claim 4, the adapter is connected to the equipment in a standard connection state without manually inputting the connection state of the adapter to the equipment in the management device or the input device. The standard connection state of the adapter taken from the connection state storage device to the equipment can be used for managing the target equipment. In capturing information from the adapter connection status storage device, it is not necessary to capture all of the information for each of the huge types of equipment, and only information about the equipment connected to the management device via the adapter is read. What is necessary is just to take in based on a name.
[0052]
In the facility management system according to claim 5, when there is an exceptional state where a part of an adapter associated with a certain equipment is not connected in a standard connection state, an adapter connection state storage device , The standard connection state of the adapter to the equipment can be fetched to save the trouble of inputting, and the exceptional state can be input from the input device of the actual connection state of the adapter to the equipment. For this reason, for example, even when the surplus part of the adapter is used in an exceptional connection state according to individual circumstances, it can be recognized by the management device.
[0053]
The use of the adapter according to claim 6 enables the management device to manage even equipment that does not employ the protocol adopted by the management device. Then, simply connecting the target equipment to the management device via one adapter cannot sufficiently manage the equipment, and one equipment is connected to the management device via two or more adapters of the same specification. Even in the case where the adapter has group identification means, if the group identification means is set so that two or more adapters for one facility device belong to a common group, the management device On the side, the group to which each adapter belongs can be automatically recognized. As described above, even when two or more adapters are used for one piece of equipment, it is possible to suppress an error in associating the equipment with the adapter on the management device side.
[0054]
In the adapter according to the seventh aspect, each adapter can be identified by the adapter identification means. Therefore, if a virtual specific group is set for a case where one adapter is used for one facility device, the management device side The adapter of a specific group can recognize that each adapter is individually associated with the equipment, and the adapter can be associated with the equipment by adopting the identification number of the adapter instead of the group.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of an air conditioner monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which a test operation tool is connected to the local air conditioning system.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of two general-purpose adapters for connecting an air conditioning outdoor unit to an air conditioning central management device.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the contents of equipment management data in the centralized air-conditioning management device before the model name is input.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a conventional air conditioning equipment monitoring system.
[Explanation of symbols]
4 Protocol conversion unit (conversion means)
7 DIP switch for identification address (adapter identification means)
8 Dip switch for grouping (group identification means)
15 Centralized air-conditioning management device (management device)
31,41,51 Outdoor unit of air conditioner
35, 36, 37, 45, 55, 56 General-purpose adapter (adapter)
71 Test run tool (input device)
81 server computer (adapter connection status storage device)

Claims (7)

An equipment management system for managing target equipment (31, 41, 51),
A management device (15) in which a specific protocol is adopted;
An adapter (35, 36, 37, 45, 55, 56) interposed between the management device and the equipment to convert a protocol;
With
The adapter has group identification means (8) for indicating that the adapter belongs to a common group with other adapters.
Equipment management system. The adapter further includes adapter identification means (7) for identifying itself from other adapters.
The facility management system according to claim 1. The management apparatus further includes an input device (71) for inputting a name for the target equipment,
The input device inputs the name for each group,
The facility management system according to claim 1. An adapter connection state storage device (81) that stores, for each of the equipments, a standard connection state of the adapter to the equipment for each of the equipments connected to the management device via the adapter. ,
The management device can be connected to the adapter connection state storage device to capture a standard connection state of the adapter to the equipment.
The facility management system according to claim 3. The input device (71) can input an actual connection state of the adapter to the equipment in the management device.
The facility management system according to claim 4. When the target equipment (31, 41, 51) is managed by the management device (15) adopting a specific protocol, a plurality of devices having the same specification are used between the management device and one of the equipment. The adapters (35, 36, 37, 45, 55, 56) used,
Conversion means (4) for converting a protocol between the management device and the equipment;
Group identification means (8) for indicating belonging to a common group with the other adapters;
Adapter with Further comprising adapter identification means (7) for identifying itself from other adapters;
The adapter according to claim 6.

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