JP3465222B2 - Air conditioning system - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to address setting of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit in an air conditioning system comprising a plurality of groups of multi-type air conditioners. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an address setting method in an air conditioning system including a plurality of groups of multi-type air conditioners (or an outdoor unit and an indoor unit also includes one single type air conditioner) is as follows. Something like that was used. (1) Manually set an address using an address setting device (for example, a dip switch) provided in the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. (2) The outdoor unit of each group compares the random values generated by the random value generation means of each group with each other and, when there is no overlap, assigns a serial number and sets a group number. Next, one group outdoor unit performs a heating operation, assigns the same group number to the indoor unit in which the temperature change has occurred, and further operates the expansion valve of each indoor unit in order, based on the pressure change at that time. Set the address of the indoor unit. The same operation is sequentially performed for each group to set an address, so that an address consisting of a group address and a unit address is determined for each outdoor unit and each indoor unit (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-9).
No. 1718). However, in the above-mentioned prior art (1), it takes a very long time to set the addresses of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. This can be very inconvenient and costly. In the prior art (2), there are problems such as a long time for setting and an incorrect address setting. An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art, that is, an outdoor unit of a multi-type air conditioner,
An object of the present invention is to ensure that address setting of an indoor unit is automatically performed in a short time. In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a multi-type air conditioner for exchanging information between one outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor units through an inter-unit bus. In an air conditioning system in which a plurality of groups are connected and the outdoor units of each group exchange information with each other through a system bus, the air conditioning system has an automatic address setting function for automatically setting addresses of each outdoor unit and each indoor unit. . The automatic address setting function, and the non-passing state <br/> the system bus during (a) power-on, the outdoor unit within each group is set indoor address stored for the indoor unit, the (b) The outdoor unit sets and stores its own temporary outdoor address. (C) Then, in each group, the outdoor unit transmits and stores the temporary outdoor address to each indoor unit, and the outdoor unit only uses this temporary outdoor address. and grouped so that each indoor unit is exchanging information, (d) then the system
Information is exchanged with other outdoor units via the bus , each outdoor unit confirms that the temporary outdoor address does not overlap with the other outdoor units, and a different regular outdoor address is set for each outdoor unit, and (e) The temporary address stored in each outdoor unit and each indoor unit is updated with the regular outdoor address, and an address including a regular outdoor address and a room address is set for each indoor unit. is there. More specifically, this automatic address setting function is performed by (a) disconnecting the system bus when the power is turned on.
In each group, the outdoor unit in each group generates a temporary indoor address by the random value generation means of each indoor unit through the inter-unit bus and stores it in the address storage means, and confirms that the temporary indoor addresses do not overlap. In the case of having done, a serial number is attached and transmitted to each indoor unit, and stored as a regular indoor address in the address storage means,
(b) Each outdoor unit generates a temporary outdoor address by each random value generation means, stores the temporary outdoor address in each address storage means, and (c) the outdoor unit in each group outdoor address, is transmitted to the indoor unit storage, and grouping processing that can communicate only between the same outside address, (d) then after system
Information is exchanged with other outdoor units via the bus , each outdoor unit confirms that the temporary outdoor address does not overlap with the other outdoor units, and one of the outdoor units becomes the parent and assigns a serial number to the regular outdoor unit. (E) In each group, the outdoor unit transmits a regular outdoor address to each indoor unit and stores it as an outdoor address, and stores a regular outdoor address for each indoor unit. An address consisting of an address and a regular indoor address is set. In another aspect of the present invention, a group of a plurality of indoor units is connected to a group of a plurality of outdoor units, and the outdoor unit and each indoor unit exchange information through a common inter-unit bus. In an air conditioning system configured to exchange information with each other through a system bus, (a) one of the outdoor units sets and stores an indoor address for the indoor unit, and (b) each outdoor unit has its own temporary unit. Set and remember the outdoor address of (d)
After that, each outdoor unit communicates with the other outdoor unit to compare the temporary outdoor address.If there is a duplicate, one of the outdoor units changes the temporary outdoor address. One is configured so that a different regular outdoor address is set for each outdoor unit. An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an air conditioning system according to one embodiment of the present invention. The air conditioning system according to the present embodiment is provided with a plurality of (N) groups of multi-type air conditioners each including one outdoor unit and a plurality of (M) indoor units connected to the outdoor unit as one group. It is composed. Group A among the multi-type air conditioners includes an outdoor unit 1A and indoor units 2A1, 2A2,... 2AM, and the outdoor unit and each indoor unit are connected by an inter-unit bus 3A. The group B includes an outdoor unit 1B and indoor units 2B1, 2B2,... 2BM, and the outdoor unit and each indoor unit are connected by an inter-unit bus 3B. The group C includes an outdoor unit 1C and indoor units 2C1, 2C2,... 2CM, and the outdoor unit and each indoor unit are connected by an inter-unit bus 3C. Similarly, the multi-type air conditioner of Group N comprises an outdoor unit 1N and indoor units 2N1, 2N2,
.., 2NM, the outdoor unit and each indoor unit are connected by an inter-unit bus 3N. The inter-unit buses 3A, 3B, 3C,... 3N are connected to the central control device 7 via the system bus 4. Outdoor unit 1
A, 1B, 1C,... 1M are the outdoor control devices 6A, 6
B, 6C... 6M, and the indoor units 2A1
2AM, 2B1-2BM, 2C1-2CM,..., 2
N1 to 2NM are the indoor control devices 5A1 to 5AM and 5B1 to
5BM, 5C1-5CM,..., 5N1-5NM. FIG. 2 shows the outdoor control devices (6A, 6B, 6C).
... 6M), and each indoor control device (5A1-5AM,
5B1-5BM, 5C1-5CM ... 5N1-5N
M) shows the internal block. Outdoor control device 6
A to 6M have an outdoor CP that controls the entire outdoor unit.
U11, input / output means 12 for performing input / output control of the outdoor unit, random value generation means 13 for generating temporary address values, and address storage means 14 for storing addresses
And a communication means system bus transmission circuit 9 for exchanging information with indoor units and a communication means system bus transmission circuit 9 for exchanging information with other outdoor units. on the other hand,
The indoor control devices 5A1 to 5AM ... 5N1 to 5NM
The same as the indoor CPU 21 for controlling the entire indoor unit, the input / output means 22 for performing input / output control of the indoor unit, the random value generation means 23 for generating a temporary address value, and the address storage means 24 for storing addresses. An inter-unit bus transmission circuit 25 for updating information with an outdoor unit or another indoor unit in the group. FIG. 3 is a refrigeration cycle configuration diagram of the group A multi-type air conditioner shown in FIG. As the refrigeration cycle components, each indoor unit 2A1-2AN is provided with a heat exchanger 30, an expansion valve 31, and a blower 32, while the outdoor unit 1A is provided with a heat exchanger 33, an accumulator 34, a four-way valve 35, and an expansion valve 36. , A blower 37 and a compressor 38. The outdoor unit and each indoor unit are connected by a refrigerant pipe 39 and a branch pipe 40. Next, automatic address setting in the air conditioning system of the present invention will be described. First, when the power is turned on, the outdoor unit 1A communicates via the inter-unit bus transmission circuit 8A.
An indoor address automatic setting process is performed for a plurality of indoor units 2A1-2AM in the same group. The technique of this processing is basically the same as the technique described in JP-A-3-244954. (1) When the power is turned on, the outdoor unit 1A
Is connected to each indoor unit 2A1 through the inter-unit bus 3B.
A request is transmitted to ＡＭ2AM, and each indoor unit generates a temporary indoor address by the random value generating means 23 according to the request, and stores it in the address storage means 24. The outdoor unit 1A communicates with each of the indoor units 2A1-2AM and checks whether the temporary addresses of the indoor units are duplicated. If there is a duplicate, the random value generating means 23 is used in the corresponding indoor unit until the duplicate is eliminated. Generates another temporary room address. (2) The outdoor unit 1 is provided without any overlap.
A rearranges the temporary addresses of the indoor units 2A1 to 2AM in ascending order, assigns serial numbers, and transmits the serial numbers to the indoor units, and stores the indoor units 2A1 to 2AM in the address storage unit 24 as regular indoor addresses. Similarly, the indoor address automatic setting process is performed for each of the other groups. Next, automatic setting of outdoor addresses of the outdoor units 1A to 1M and grouping of indoor units by outdoor addresses will be described. Here, the outdoor unit 1A of the group A will be described as an example. (3) After the automatic address setting of the indoor units 2A1-2AM is completed, the outdoor unit 1A generates a temporary outdoor address by the random value generation means 13 and stores the temporary outdoor address in the address storage means 14. At this time, the random address value is set to 4000 times or more the possible range of the outdoor address so that it does not substantially overlap with other outdoor addresses. (4) Next, the stored temporary outdoor address is transmitted to the indoor units 2A1-2AM connected via the inter-unit bus transmission circuit 8A, and the indoor units 2A1-2 are transmitted.
After that, the indoor units 2A1 to 2AM perform grouping processing so that they can communicate only with the outdoor unit 1A having the same outdoor address or the same temporary outdoor address. (5) When the grouping process is completed, the outdoor unit 1A exchanges information with the other outdoor units 1B to 1N via the system bus transmission circuit 9A and the system bus 4. (6) Outdoor unit 1A
Transmits a temporary outdoor address to the system bus via the system bus transmission circuit 9A, and transmits the other outdoor units 1B to 1N
Confirm that the temporary outdoor address sent from is not the same as your temporary outdoor address. If there is an overlap, the address setting is stopped, an alarm is issued, and another random value is generated for the partner whose address is duplicated. Similarly, it is confirmed that each outdoor unit other than the outdoor unit 1A does not overlap with the random address of the other outdoor unit. (7) If there is no duplication of addresses, (8) the outdoor unit having the youngest address among the outdoor units 1A to 1N becomes a parent, and 1,2, 1 .., N, the outdoor address is newly renumbered to be a regular outdoor address. (9) In the group A, the outdoor unit 1A transmits a regular outdoor address to each of the indoor units 2A1 to 2AM via the inter-unit bus transmission circuit 8A, and the indoor units 2A1 to 2AM
The normal outdoor address of A is stored in the address storage unit 24 as a group address. Therefore, each indoor unit is identified by two addresses, an outdoor address and an indoor address. The same processing as described above is performed in other groups B to N of the multi-type air conditioner. The above address setting flowchart is shown in FIG. As described above, when the addresses of the indoor units in each group are set, the bus between the units in the group is separated from the system bus, so that the indoor units in one group are different from those in another group. Can be handled separately, and even in a large-scale air-conditioning and air-conditioning system including a plurality of groups of multi-type air conditioners, address setting can be reliably performed in a short time. This automatic address setting operation is performed when the power is turned on. If the address is already determined, the automatic address operation is performed with the determined address without generating a random address. As another address setting method, instead of generating a random address, the outdoor control devices 6A to 6A are used.
6N or a product-specific number stored in the indoor control devices 5A1 to 5NM or a number of a manual setting device provided in the outdoor control devices 6A to 6N or the indoor control devices 5A1 to 5NM can be used as the address. Next, as another embodiment, FIG. 5 shows a large-capacity multi-type air conditioning system in which a plurality of indoor unit groups are connected to a plurality of outdoor unit groups. Here, an air conditioning system is shown in which three outdoor units and M indoor units are connected. The outdoor unit 1A and the indoor units 2A1-2AM are connected by an inter-unit bus 3A, and the outdoor unit 1A and the outdoor units 1B-1C are connected by a system bus 4. Each outdoor unit has the outdoor control device shown in FIG. 2, and each indoor unit has the indoor control device shown in FIG. The automatic address setting in the air conditioning system shown in FIG. 5 is the same as described above. That is,
The outdoor unit 1A checks whether the temporary addresses generated by the random value generation means of each of the indoor units 2A1 to 2AM are duplicated, and sets the temporary addresses as normal addresses without duplication. Thereafter, each of the outdoor units 1A to 1C generates a temporary outdoor address by the random value generation means 13, exchanges information with another outdoor unit, and confirms that the temporary outdoor addresses do not overlap with each other. , Outdoor units 1A-1C
One of them becomes a parent, and the new outdoor address is renumbered in the numerical order with respect to the parent and other outdoor units, thereby obtaining a regular outdoor address. Outdoor unit 1A
Sends a regular outdoor address to the indoor units 2A1-2AM, and the indoor units 2A1-2AM
A regular outdoor address of A is stored in the address storage means 24. As described above, according to the present invention, in a large-scale air conditioning system including a plurality of groups of multi-type air conditioners, addresses of each outdoor unit and each indoor unit are automatically set. This eliminates the need for human address setting, shortens the construction time, and provides a highly reliable air conditioner. Further, even in a large-scale air conditioning system,
The bus between the units in the group of the multi-type air conditioner and the system bus between the groups are isolated,
Set the room address in each group by itself,
Since the indoor address is combined with a different outdoor address (group address), the risk of address duplication is dispersed and the quality of the air conditioning system is improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an entire air conditioning system of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of each of an outdoor control device and an indoor control device. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a refrigeration cycle of the multi-type air conditioner. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an address setting method according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an air conditioning system of a large-capacity multi-type air conditioner including a group of outdoor units and a group of indoor units. [Description of Signs] AN Multi-type air conditioner 1A-1N Outdoor unit 2A1-2NM Indoor unit 3A-3N Inter-unit bus 4 System bus 5A1-5NM Indoor unit controller 6A-6N Outdoor unit controller 7 Centralized controller 8A-8N inter-unit bus transmission circuit 9A-9N system bus transmission circuit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor ▲ Yoshi ▼ Satoru 4-6 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Hitachi, Ltd. Air Conditioning Systems Division (72) Inventor Masashi Watanabe 390 Muramatsu, Shimizu-shi, Shizuoka Hitachi Shimizu Engineering Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masamichi Mochizuki 4-6 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Hitachi, Ltd. Air Conditioning Systems Division (56) References JP-A-7-91718 (JP, A) JP-A-6-265197 (JP, A) JP-A-5-79682 (JP, A) JP-A-8-5133 (JP, A) JP-A-9-318142 (JP, A) (58) Fields studied (Int .Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F24F 11/02 102 F24F 11/02 103 F25B 13/00 104

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims 1] A plurality of groups of multi-type air conditioners for exchanging information between one outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor units through an inter-unit bus are connected, and the outdoor units of each group are connected. In an air conditioning system configured to exchange information with each other through a system bus, when the power is turned on, the system bus is disconnected, and in each group, the outdoor unit sets and stores an indoor address for the indoor unit, and each outdoor unit Set and store its own temporary outdoor address, and then in each group the outdoor unit sends and stores the temporary outdoor address to each indoor unit, groups by that temporary outdoor address, and then via the system bus With other outdoor units
After exchanging information , each outdoor unit confirms that the temporary outdoor address does not overlap with other outdoor units, sets a different regular outdoor address for each outdoor unit, and sets each outdoor unit and each room with the regular outdoor address. An air-conditioning system characterized by updating a temporary address stored in a unit and setting an address including a regular outdoor address and an indoor address for each indoor unit .