Air conditioning system and control method thereof

Abstract

This application provides an air conditioning system and its control method, relating to the field of household appliance technology. It utilizes a three-phase coupler to achieve cross-phase communication between the air conditioning system and other devices, and improves the communication quality between the air conditioning system and other devices. The air conditioning system includes: an outdoor unit, a power line carrier communication gateway, a three-phase coupler, and a controller. The controller is configured to: acquire multiple communication quality values ​​between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device; control the three-phase coupler to be in a first operating state when the multiple communication quality values ​​respectively meet preset quality conditions; in the first operating state, the three-phase coupler is used to notify the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device respectively, enhancing the transmission power of the communication signals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of household appliance technology, and in particular to an air conditioning system and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Power line carrier (PLC) communication technology is a commonly used communication technology in smart devices. Air conditioning systems based on PLC can achieve communication between the outdoor and indoor units, as well as between the outdoor unit and smart devices (such as smart light switches, smart curtain switches, and smart sockets).

[0003] However, air conditioning systems using power line carrier communication technology often employ three-phase PLC modules or hardware coupling methods without PLC modules to achieve three-phase PLC communication. Regardless of the method used, poor communication quality may result. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an air conditioning system and its control method, which utilizes a three-phase coupler to achieve cross-phase communication between the air conditioning system and other devices, and improves the communication quality between the air conditioning system and other devices.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides an air conditioning system located on any one of the three-phase power lines. The system includes: an indoor unit for absorbing heat from the refrigerant output by the outdoor unit in cooling mode, and for dissipating heat from the refrigerant compressed by the compressor in heating mode.

[0006] The outdoor unit is used to dissipate heat from the refrigerant compressed by the compressor in cooling mode, and to absorb heat from the refrigerant output by the indoor unit in heating mode.

[0007] A power line carrier communication gateway, located inside the outdoor unit, is used to communicate with intelligent devices located on any one of the three phases of the power line;

[0008] A three-phase coupler is used to forward the communication signals of the power line carrier communication gateway to the intelligent device on any phase of the three-phase power line, and to forward the communication signals of the intelligent device to the power line carrier communication gateway.

[0009] The controller is configured as follows:

[0010] Acquire multiple communication quality parameters between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, three-phase coupler, and smart device;

[0011] When multiple communication quality conditions are met respectively, the three-phase coupler is controlled to be in the first working state; in the first working state, the three-phase coupler is used to notify the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device respectively to enhance the transmission power of the communication signal.

[0012] The technical solution provided in this application offers at least the following benefits: When multiple communication quality parameters between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the intelligent device meet preset quality conditions, the three-phase coupler is controlled to operate in a first working state. In this first working state, the three-phase coupler can forward communication signals between the power line carrier communication gateway and the intelligent device, and notify both the power line carrier communication gateway and the intelligent device to enhance the transmission power of the communication signals. This method can improve the communication quality between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the intelligent device. When the distance between the power line carrier communication gateway and the intelligent device is long, it can solve the problem of reduced communication quality due to the distance, ensuring the reliability of the entire power line carrier communication network and thus improving the user experience.

[0013] In some embodiments, the multiple communication qualities include a first communication quality between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device, a second communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the smart device, and a third communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway.

[0014] In some embodiments, the preset quality condition means that the first communication quality is less than the preset quality threshold, and the second and third communication qualities are both greater than or equal to the preset quality threshold.

[0015] In some embodiments, the controller of the air conditioning system is further configured to: in a first operating state, control the transmission power of the three-phase coupler enhanced forwarding communication signal. In this embodiment, in the first operating state, by controlling the transmission power of the three-phase coupler enhanced forwarding communication signal, the quality of the communication signal between the three-phase coupler enhanced forwarding power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device is improved.

[0016] In some embodiments, before acquiring multiple communication qualities between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device, the controller is further configured to: control the three-phase coupler to be in a second operating state; and, when the three-phase coupler is in the second operating state, control the three-phase coupler to forward the communication signal of the power line carrier communication gateway to the smart device on any phase of the three-phase power line, and to forward the communication signal of the smart device to the power line carrier communication gateway. In this embodiment, controlling the three-phase coupler to be in the second operating state enables the three-phase coupler to forward the communication signal between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device, thereby enabling the power line carrier communication gateway located on different phases to establish a communication connection with the smart device.

[0017] In some embodiments, the controller of the air conditioning system is further configured to control the three-phase coupler to be in a second operating state when multiple communication quality conditions are not met. In this embodiment, when the initial operating state of the three-phase coupler is the second operating state and multiple communication quality conditions are not met, the three-phase coupler is controlled to be in the second operating state, that is, maintaining the initial state of forwarding the communication signal between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device.

[0018] In some embodiments, before controlling the three-phase coupler to operate in the second operating state, the controller is further configured to: in response to a mobile terminal scanning the QR code of the three-phase coupler, control the establishment of an association between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway; the association indicates that the power line carrier communication network trusts the three-phase coupler and communicates with it. This method makes the process of establishing an association between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway more convenient and intelligent.

[0019] In some embodiments, the controller of the air conditioning system is further configured to: send notification information to a mobile terminal; the mobile terminal is used to display the notification information; the notification information includes multiple communication quality parameters between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device, the operating status of the three-phase coupler, and the transmission power of the three-phase coupler forwarding communication signals. In this embodiment, the mobile terminal can display the communication quality between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device, the operating status of the three-phase coupler, and the transmission power of the three-phase coupler forwarding communication signals, etc., so that users of the air conditioning system can obtain relevant information about the operation of the air conditioning system in real time. In the event of a malfunction in the air conditioning system, users and technical support personnel can easily troubleshoot the problem based on the notification information, thereby improving the user experience.

[0020] In some embodiments, the three-phase coupler includes a power line carrier communication module. This module is used to detect multiple communication quality parameters between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device, regardless of the three-phase coupler's operating state, and to adjust the transmission power of the three-phase coupler when it is in a first operating state. In this embodiment, the application of the power line carrier communication module can improve the communication quality between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device, solving the problem of reduced communication quality caused by long distances between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device, ensuring the reliability of the entire power line carrier communication network, and thus improving the user experience.

[0021] Secondly, this application provides a control method for an air conditioning system, which is applied to the air conditioning system of the first aspect. The method includes: acquiring multiple communication qualities between any two of a power line carrier communication gateway, a three-phase coupler, and a smart device; the smart device being located on any phase of a three-phase power line; controlling the three-phase coupler to be in a first operating state when the multiple communication qualities respectively meet preset quality conditions; in the first operating state, the three-phase coupler is used to forward the communication signal of the power line carrier communication gateway to the smart device, and forward the communication signal of the smart device to the power line carrier communication gateway; and the three-phase coupler is also used to notify the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device to enhance the transmission power of the transmitted communication signal.

[0022] Thirdly, this application provides a controller, comprising: one or more processors; one or more memories; wherein the one or more memories are used to store computer program code, the computer program code including computer instructions, and when the one or more processors execute the computer instructions, the controller executes the control method of the air conditioning system provided in the second aspect and possible implementations.

[0023] Fourthly, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium including computer instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the control method of the air conditioning system provided in the second aspect and possible implementations.

[0024] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product that can be directly loaded into a memory and contains software code. After being loaded and executed by a computer, the computer program product can implement the air conditioning system control method provided in the second aspect and possible implementations.

[0025] It should be noted that the aforementioned computer instructions may be stored, in whole or in part, on a computer-readable storage medium. This computer-readable storage medium may be packaged together with the controller's processor, or it may be packaged separately from the controller's processor; this application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0026] The beneficial effects described in aspects two through five of this application can be referred to the analysis of the beneficial effects of aspect one, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an air conditioning system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a three-phase coupler provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 3 A hardware configuration block diagram of an air conditioning system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an air conditioning system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a control method for an air conditioning system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of another air conditioning system control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of another air conditioning system control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of another air conditioning system control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of another air conditioning system control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a controller provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0038] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0039] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly, for example, as a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances. Furthermore, when describing pipelines, the terms "connected" and "linked" as used in this application have the meaning of establishing electrical connection. The specific meaning needs to be understood in conjunction with the context.

[0040] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design. Specifically, the use of the terms "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0041] Power line carrier (PLC) communication technology is a commonly used communication technology in smart devices. Air conditioning systems based on PLC can achieve communication between the outdoor and indoor units, as well as between the outdoor unit and smart devices (such as smart light switches, smart curtain switches, and smart sockets).

[0042] Air conditioning systems employing power line carrier communication technology typically utilize three-phase PLC modules or a hardware-coupled approach without PLC modules to achieve three-phase PLC communication. The solution using three-phase PLC modules is relatively expensive and cannot address the communication failure issue caused by signal attenuation due to long distances between the PLC gateway and PLC-based intelligent devices. The hardware-coupled approach without PLC modules is significantly affected by the network environment, and communication quality cannot be guaranteed.

[0043] This application proposes an air conditioning system and its control method. By acquiring multiple communication quality parameters between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, a three-phase coupler, and a smart device, and ensuring that these multiple communication quality parameters meet preset quality conditions, the three-phase coupler is controlled to operate in a first working state. In this first working state, the three-phase coupler can forward communication signals between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device, and notify both the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device to enhance the transmission power of the communication signals. This method can improve the communication quality between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device. When the distance between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device is long, it can solve the problem of reduced communication quality due to distance, ensuring the reliability of the entire power line carrier communication network and thus improving the user experience.

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an air conditioning system 11 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the air conditioning system 11 includes an outdoor unit 101, an indoor unit 102, and a three-phase coupler 103.

[0045] The power transmission line of the air conditioning system 11 adopts a three-phase four-wire system (the four wires can be denoted as L1, L2, L3, and N, where N is the neutral wire, such as the zero wire). The outdoor unit 101, indoor unit 102, and three-phase coupler 103 all adopt PLC technology. The outdoor unit 101 is equipped with a power line carrier communication gateway (PLC gateway).

[0046] The outdoor unit 101 and the indoor unit 102 can be located on the same or different phase power lines. The three-phase coupler 103 forwards the communication signals between the PLC gateway and the indoor unit 102, enabling the outdoor unit 101 and the indoor unit 102 to form a network and establish a communication connection.

[0047] In other embodiments, other PLC-based smart devices are also installed on the power lines. These smart devices can be installed on power lines of different phases or the same phase. The three-phase coupler 103 can forward communication signals between the PLC gateway and other PLC-based smart devices (e.g., smart sockets, scene panels, smart switches, smart curtains, etc.), enabling the outdoor unit 101 to network with other PLC-based smart devices and establish communication connections.

[0048] Typically, in air conditioning system 11, outdoor unit 101 dissipates heat from the refrigerant compressed by the compressor in cooling mode and absorbs heat from the refrigerant output by the indoor unit in heating mode. Indoor unit 102 absorbs heat from the refrigerant output by the outdoor unit in cooling mode and dissipates heat from the refrigerant compressed by the compressor in heating mode.

[0049] In some embodiments, the three-phase coupler 103 is installed in the user's distribution box, and a QR code may be printed on the three-phase coupler. The user can scan the QR code of the three-phase coupler using a corresponding application on a mobile terminal (e.g., the application corresponding to the air conditioning system 11, or the application corresponding to the user's home equipment) to add the three-phase coupler to the user's home equipment. The application then sends the device type and device code of the three-phase coupler 103 to the PLC gateway in the outdoor unit 101 to establish an association between the three-phase coupler and the gateway. This association indicates that the power line carrier communication network trusts the three-phase coupler and communicates with it.

[0050] In some embodiments, the three-phase coupler 103 includes a first operating state (relay state) and a second operating state (quiet state).

[0051] In some embodiments, as Figure 2 As shown, the outdoor unit 101 is located on L1 of the three-phase power line, and the three-phase coupler 103 includes a first power line carrier communication module 201, a coupling transformer 202, and a three-phase coupling circuit 203.

[0052] The first power line carrier communication module 201 is used to detect the communication quality between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device, when the three-phase coupler is in any operating state.

[0053] When multiple communication quality conditions fail to meet the preset quality requirements, the three-phase coupler is in its first operating state. Furthermore, the first power line carrier communication module 201 is used to, when the three-phase coupler is in its first operating state (relay state), detect the communication quality between any two of the PLC gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the intelligent device, notify the PLC gateway and the intelligent device to increase the transmission power of the transmitted communication signal, and adjust the transmission power of the three-phase coupler for forwarding the communication signal.

[0054] The coupling transformer 202 is used to send the communication signal received from the PLC gateway or intelligent device on any phase power line into the three-phase coupling circuit 203.

[0055] The three-phase coupling circuit 203 is used to couple the communication signal on any one phase power line into the three-phase power, thereby realizing communication between the PLC gateway and the intelligent device.

[0056] In some embodiments, the three-phase coupling circuit 203 may consist of three safety capacitors, and this embodiment does not impose specific limitations.

[0057] Figure 3 An exemplary hardware configuration block diagram of the aforementioned air conditioning system 11 is shown. For example... Figure 3As shown, the air conditioning system 11 includes a controller 301, a second power line carrier communication module 302, a communication module 303, and a power supply 304. The second power line carrier communication module 302, the communication module 303, and the power supply 304 are all connected to the controller 301.

[0058] In some embodiments, the controller 301 can acquire multiple communication qualities between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device; when the multiple communication qualities respectively meet preset quality conditions, the controller controls the three-phase coupler to be in a first operating state; in the first operating state, the three-phase coupler is used to notify the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device respectively to enhance the transmission power of the transmitted communication signal.

[0059] In some embodiments, the controller 301 can control the transmission power of the three-phase coupler to enhance the forwarding communication signal in a first operating state.

[0060] In some embodiments, the controller 301 can control the three-phase coupler to be in a second operating state; when the three-phase coupler is in the second operating state, the controller controls the three-phase coupler to forward the communication signal of the power line carrier communication gateway to the smart device on any phase of the three-phase power line, and to forward the communication signal of the smart device to the power line carrier communication gateway.

[0061] In some embodiments, the controller 301 can control the three-phase coupler to be in a second working state if the preset quality conditions are not met.

[0062] In some embodiments, the controller 301 may respond to the operation of a mobile terminal scanning the QR code of the three-phase coupler to control the establishment of an association between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway; the association indicates that the power line carrier communication network trusts the three-phase coupler and communicates with the three-phase coupler.

[0063] In some embodiments, the controller 301 may send notification information to a mobile terminal; the mobile terminal is used to display the notification information; the notification information includes multiple communication qualities between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device, the operating status of the three-phase coupler, and the transmission power of the three-phase coupler for forwarding communication signals.

[0064] In some embodiments, the air conditioning system 11 includes multiple second power line carrier communication modules 302. Each second power line carrier communication module 302 can be a power line carrier communication gateway, for example, an outdoor unit 101 may have a power line carrier communication gateway (PLC gateway) inside, and an indoor unit may have a power line carrier communication module. Power line carrier communication technology is a special communication method that uses power lines as an information transmission medium for voice or data transmission.

[0065] In some embodiments, the communication module 303 is used to receive signals sent by a user's mobile device. The communication module 303 is a component used to communicate with external devices or servers according to various communication protocol types. For example, the communication module 303 may include at least one of the following: a Wi-Fi module, a Bluetooth module, a wired Ethernet module, a near-field communication (NFC) module, or other network communication protocol chips or NFC chips, as well as an infrared receiver. The communication module 303 can be used to communicate with other devices (user mobile terminals) or communication networks (such as Ethernet, radio access network (RAN), wireless local area networks (WLAN), etc.).

[0066] In some embodiments, the PLC gateway can utilize the communication module 303 to connect to the cloud platform via communication methods such as Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT), fourth-generation mobile communication technology (4G), and fifth-generation mobile communication technology (5G), thereby establishing a connection with the user's mobile terminal.

[0067] In some embodiments, the power supply 304 is used to provide operating power support to the various electrical components of the air conditioning system 11 under the control of the controller 301. The power supply 304 may include a battery and related control circuitry.

[0068] For example, such as Figure 4 The diagram shows a schematic of an air conditioning system. The incoming power line of this system uses a three-phase four-wire system (the four wires can be denoted as L1, L2, L3, and N, where N is the neutral wire). The air conditioning system mainly consists of three parts: the root node, the relay node, and the sub-nodes.

[0069] Root node: The outdoor unit is equipped with a power line carrier communication gateway (PLC gateway). The PLC gateway acts as the root node of the entire PLC communication and is connected to the L1 power line. It establishes a connection with the user's mobile terminal through a cloud platform (or server).

[0070] Relay Node: A three-phase coupler is installed in the user distribution box. The three-phase coupler serves as a relay node. The user distribution box also includes a three-phase circuit breaker and a single-phase circuit breaker. Both the three-phase circuit breaker and the single-phase circuit breaker are used to quickly disconnect and connect the load circuit, as well as disconnect the fault circuit, to ensure the normal operation of the entire air conditioning system and reduce safety hazards.

[0071] Child nodes: Smart devices are used as child nodes. These smart devices include one or more of the following: outdoor units, smart sockets, scene panels, smart switches, smart curtains, etc. Smart devices can be connected to power lines of different phases or power lines of the same phase.

[0072] Based on the above air conditioning system, such as Figure 5 As shown in the figure, this application provides a control method for an air conditioning system, which includes the following steps S101-S102.

[0073] S101, The air conditioning system acquires multiple communication qualities between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, three-phase coupler, and intelligent device.

[0074] Among them, intelligent devices and three-phase couplers are both based on PLC technology.

[0075] A three-phase coupler can forward power line carrier signals emitted by devices on any phase of a three-phase power line. In other words, the three-phase coupler can forward the communication signals of the power line carrier communication gateway to intelligent devices on any phase of the three-phase power line, and forward the communication signals of intelligent devices to the power line carrier communication gateway. Thus, the three-phase coupler has communication quality with either the power line carrier communication gateway or the intelligent device.

[0076] In some embodiments, multiple communication qualities refer to the channel quality between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device, wherein the channel quality may include the signal-to-noise ratio of the communication signals between any two of the two components and the attenuation strength of the communication signals.

[0077] In some embodiments, the communication quality includes a first communication quality between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device, a second communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the smart device, and a third communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway.

[0078] In some embodiments, PLC-based smart devices may include multiple devices, such as indoor units, smart sockets, smart switches, and smart curtains. When multiple smart devices are included, each device can be assigned a device number, and the communication quality includes a first communication quality between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device, denoted as D. i (i represents the smart device number), and the second communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the smart device is denoted as S. i The third communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway is denoted as Q. i .

[0079] When the smart device is an indoor unit, the PLC gateway can notify the indoor unit to turn on the operating mode (cooling mode or heating mode) or stop the operating mode; when the smart device is a smart socket, the PLC gateway can notify the smart socket to turn on or off the power; when the smart device is a smart switch, the PLC gateway can notify the smart socket to turn on or off; when the smart device is a smart curtain, the PLC gateway can notify the smart curtain to open or close.

[0080] For example, the indoor unit is numbered 1, the smart socket is numbered 2, and the smart curtain is numbered 3. The communication quality includes three groups:

[0081] The first set of communication quality includes: the first communication quality D1 between the power line carrier communication gateway and the indoor unit, the second communication quality S1 between the three-phase coupler and the indoor unit, and the third communication quality Q1 between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway.

[0082] The second set of communication quality includes: the first communication quality D2 between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart socket, the second communication quality S2 between the three-phase coupler and the smart socket, and the third communication quality Q2 between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway.

[0083] The third group of communication quality includes: the first communication quality D3 between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart curtain, the second communication quality S3 between the three-phase coupler and the smart curtain, and the third communication quality Q3 between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway.

[0084] S102. When multiple communication quality conditions meet the preset quality requirements, the air conditioning system controls the three-phase coupler to be in the first working state.

[0085] The first operating state can also be called the relay state. In the first operating state, the three-phase coupler can forward the communication signals of the power line carrier communication gateway to the intelligent devices on any phase of the three-phase power line, and forward the communication signals of the intelligent devices to the power line carrier communication gateway. The three-phase coupler can also notify the power line carrier communication gateway and the intelligent devices to enhance the transmission power of the communication signals.

[0086] In some embodiments, the three-phase coupler can send a notification signal to the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device, the notification signal being used to notify the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device to increase the transmission power of the emitted communication signal.

[0087] In some embodiments, in a first operating state, the air conditioning system can control the transmission power of the three-phase coupler enhanced forwarding communication signal, thereby improving the quality of the communication signal between the three-phase coupler enhanced forwarding power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device.

[0088] In some embodiments, when the communication quality includes the first communication quality between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device, the second communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the smart device, and the third communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway, the preset quality condition may be that the first communication quality is less than the preset quality threshold, and both the second communication quality and the third communication quality are greater than or equal to the preset quality threshold.

[0089] Among them, the first communication quality being less than the preset quality threshold indicates that the communication quality between the PLC gateway and the smart device is poor; both the second communication quality and the third communication quality being greater than or equal to the preset quality threshold indicates that the communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the smart device and the communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway are both good. Therefore, in this case, it is necessary to control the three-phase coupler to notify the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device to increase the transmission power of the emitted communication signal, that is, to notify to enhance the first communication quality, so as to optimize the communication quality of the entire PLC network and ensure the reliability of communication between the PLC gateway and the smart device.

[0090] Exemplarily, denote the first communication quality as D i and the second communication quality as S i and the third communication quality as Q i , and denote the preset quality threshold as B. The preset quality conditions include:

[0091] Condition 1: Di < B, indicating that the communication quality between the PLC gateway and the smart device (the smart device with device number i) is poor;

[0092] Condition 2: Si ≥ B and Qi ≥ B, indicating that the communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the smart device and the communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway are both good.

[0093] When Conditions 1 and 2 are satisfied, the three-phase coupler forwards the communication signal of the power line carrier communication gateway to the smart device (the smart device with device number i) on any one of the three-phase power lines, and forwards the communication signal of the smart device to the power line carrier communication gateway and increases the transmission power of its own forwarded communication signal.

[0094] In some other embodiments, the preset quality condition may further include that the first communication quality is less than or equal to the preset quality threshold, and both the second communication quality and the third communication quality are greater than the preset quality threshold. The embodiments of the present application do not make specific limitations on this.

[0095] The above embodiments include at least the following beneficial effects: by acquiring multiple communication quality data between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device; and when the multiple communication quality data meet preset quality conditions, controlling the three-phase coupler to be in a first operating state. In the first operating state, the three-phase coupler can forward the communication signals between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device, and notify the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device to enhance the transmission power of the transmitted communication signals. This method can improve the communication quality between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device. When the distance between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device is long, it can solve the problem of reduced communication quality caused by the long distance, ensure the reliability of the entire power line carrier communication network, and thus improve the user experience.

[0096] In some embodiments, as Figure 6 As shown, if the air conditioning system establishes a communication connection with the user's mobile terminal, step S103 can also be executed.

[0097] S103, The air conditioning system sends a notification message to the mobile terminal.

[0098] The notification information includes the communication quality between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device, the operating status of the three-phase coupler, and the transmission power of the three-phase coupler for forwarding communication signals.

[0099] In some embodiments, when a mobile terminal receives a notification message, it can notify the user via SMS, or display the notification message through the corresponding application of the air conditioning system on the mobile terminal, or display the notification message through the corresponding application of the user's home device on the mobile terminal, so as to enable the user of the air conditioning system to obtain relevant information about the operation of the air conditioning system in real time. This embodiment does not impose specific limitations.

[0100] The above embodiments offer at least the following beneficial effects: By sending notification information to the mobile terminal, including the communication quality between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device, the operating status of the three-phase coupler, and the transmission power of the three-phase coupler forwarding communication signals, users of the air conditioning system can obtain real-time information about the system's operation. In the event of a malfunction in the air conditioning system, users and technical support personnel can easily troubleshoot the problem based on the notification information, thereby improving the user experience.

[0101] In some embodiments, as Figure 7 As shown, steps Sa1 to Sa2 can be performed before obtaining the communication quality between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, three-phase coupler, and smart device.

[0102] Sa1, the air conditioning system responds to the operation of scanning the QR code of the three-phase coupler by the mobile terminal, and controls the establishment of an association between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway.

[0103] The association relationship indicates that the power line carrier communication network trusts the three-phase coupler and communicates with the three-phase coupler.

[0104] In some embodiments, users can scan the QR code of the three-phase coupler using a corresponding application on their mobile terminal (e.g., an application for the air conditioning system or an application for the user's home devices) to add the three-phase coupler to their home devices. The application then sends the device type and device code of the three-phase coupler to the PLC gateway to establish an association between the three-phase coupler and the PLC gateway. This association is used to enable the three-phase coupler to forward communication signals between the PLC gateway and the smart devices.

[0105] Sa2, the air conditioning system control three-phase coupler is in the second working state.

[0106] The second working state can also be called the silent state. When the three-phase coupler is in the second working state, it can forward the communication signal of the power line carrier communication gateway to the intelligent device on any phase of the three-phase power line, and forward the communication signal of the intelligent device to the power line carrier communication gateway, without notifying the power line carrier communication gateway and the intelligent device to increase the transmission power of the communication signal, and without adjusting its own transmission power.

[0107] In some embodiments, after the three-phase coupler establishes an association with the PLC gateway, the initial working state is a silent state. In the silent state, the air conditioning system controls the three-phase coupler to forward the communication signals between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device.

[0108] The above embodiments include at least the following beneficial effects: In response to a mobile terminal scanning the QR code on the three-phase coupler, the air conditioning system controls the three-phase coupler to establish an association with the power line carrier communication gateway, and the air conditioning system controls the three-phase coupler to be in a second operating state. In the second state, the air conditioning system controls the three-phase coupler to forward communication signals between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device. This method makes the process of establishing an association between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway more convenient and intelligent. Furthermore, by using the three-phase coupler to forward communication signals between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device, communication between the power line carrier communication gateway located on different phase lines and the smart device can be established.

[0109] In some embodiments, as Figure 8As shown, the three-phase coupler operates in two states: a silent state and a relay state. The air conditioning system can execute steps Sb1 to Sb5.

[0110] Sb1, responding to the operation of scanning the QR code of the three-phase coupler by a mobile terminal, adds the three-phase coupler to the user's home equipment.

[0111] Sb2 controls the PLC gateway to record relevant information about the three-phase coupler.

[0112] Sb3 controls the PLC gateway to communicate with intelligent devices, and the three-phase coupler operates in a silent state.

[0113] Sb4: Obtain the communication quality between any two of the PLC gateway, three-phase coupler, and intelligent device, and determine whether to switch the working state of the three-phase coupler based on the communication quality.

[0114] Sb5. Send notification information to the mobile terminal; the notification information includes the communication quality between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device, the operating status of the three-phase coupler, and the transmission power of the three-phase coupler for forwarding communication signals.

[0115] The above embodiments include at least the following beneficial effects: By acquiring the communication quality between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the intelligent device; determining whether to switch the operating state of the three-phase coupler based on the communication quality; and sending a notification message to the mobile terminal; the notification message includes the communication quality between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the intelligent device, the operating state of the three-phase coupler, and the transmission power of the three-phase coupler forwarding communication signals. This method can improve the communication quality between any two of the PLC gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the intelligent device, solve the problem of reduced communication quality due to long distances between the PLC gateway and the intelligent device, and ensure the reliability of the entire PLC network communication. Furthermore, it allows users of the air conditioning system to obtain real-time information about the system's operation. In the event of a malfunction in the air conditioning system, users and technical support personnel can easily troubleshoot the problem based on the notification message, thereby improving the user experience.

[0116] In some embodiments, as Figure 9 As shown, when determining whether to switch the working state of the three-phase coupler, i.e., to execute the above step Sb4, the air conditioning system can also execute steps Sc1 to Sc8.

[0117] Sc1, control the PLC gateway, and establish the first communication quality D between the PLC gateway and the intelligent device. i Send to the three-phase coupler.

[0118] Sc2. Control the three-phase coupler to record the second communication quality S between the three-phase coupler and the intelligent device i .

[0119] Sc3. Control the three-phase coupler to record the third communication quality Q between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway i .

[0120] Sc4. Judge D i , S i , Q i whether they meet the preset quality conditions. The preset quality conditions are that D i < B and S i ≥ B and Q i ≥ B, where B is the preset quality threshold.

[0121] Sc5. If the preset quality conditions are not met, control the working state of the three-phase coupler to be the silent state.

[0122] Sc6. If the preset quality conditions are met, control the working state of the three-phase coupler to be the relay state.

[0123] Sc7. In the relay state, control the three-phase coupler to forward the communication signal between the PLC gateway and the intelligent device with device number i, notify the power line carrier communication gateway and the intelligent device with device number i to increase the transmission power of the transmitted communication signal, and increase the transmission power of its own forwarded communication signal.

[0124] Sc8. Continue to execute step Sc4.

[0125] The above embodiments at least include the following beneficial effects: By obtaining the communication quality between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler and the intelligent device; when the communication quality meets the preset quality conditions, controlling the three-phase coupler to be in the relay state; in the relay state, the three-phase coupler can be used to forward the communication signal between the power line carrier communication gateway and the intelligent device, and notify the power line carrier communication gateway and the intelligent device to increase the transmission power of the transmitted communication signal. This method can improve the communication quality between any two of the PLC gateway, the three-phase coupler and the intelligent device, solve the problem of reduced communication quality due to the long distance between the PLC gateway and the intelligent device, ensure the reliability of the entire PLC network communication, and thus improve the user experience.

[0126] As can be seen, the above mainly describes the solutions provided by the embodiments of this application from a methodological perspective. To achieve the above functions, the embodiments of this application provide corresponding hardware structures and / or software modules for executing each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, in conjunction with the modules and algorithm steps of the various examples described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0127] This application embodiment can divide the controller into functional modules according to the above method example. For example, each function can be divided into a separate functional module, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. Optionally, the module division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division; other division methods may be used in actual implementation.

[0128] This application also provides a hardware structure diagram of a controller, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the controller 301 includes a processor 401, and optionally, a memory 402 and a communication interface 403 connected to the processor 401. The processor 401, memory 402, and communication interface 403 are connected via a bus 404.

[0129] Processor 401 may be a central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a network processor (NP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a programmable logic device (PLD), or any combination thereof. Processor 401 may also be any other device with processing capabilities, such as a circuit, device, or software module. Processor 401 may also include multiple CPUs, and processor 401 may be a single-core processor or a multi-core processor. Here, "processor" can refer to one or more devices, circuits, or processing cores used to process data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0130] The memory 402 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and instructions, random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and instructions, or it may be an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer. This application embodiment does not impose any limitations on this. The memory 402 may exist independently or may be integrated with the processor 401. The memory 402 may contain computer program code. The processor 401 is used to execute the computer program code stored in the memory 402, thereby implementing the control method provided in this application embodiment.

[0131] The communication interface 403 can be used to communicate with other devices or communication networks (such as Ethernet, radio access network (RAN), wireless local area network (WLAN), etc.). The communication interface 403 can be a module, circuit, transceiver, or any device capable of communication.

[0132] Bus 404 can be a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. Bus 404 can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Figure 10 Only one thick line is used in the diagram, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0133] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium including computer-executable instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform any of the control methods provided in the above embodiments.

[0134] This application also provides a computer program product containing computer execution instructions, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to execute any of the control methods provided in the above embodiments.

[0135] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software programs, implementation can be, in whole or in part, in the form of a computer program product. This computer program product includes one or more computer-executable instructions. When these computer-executable instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the flow or function according to the embodiments of this application is generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer-executable instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, computer-executable instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium accessible to a computer or a data storage device containing one or more servers, data centers, etc., that can be integrated with the medium. The available media can be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., DVDs), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state disks, SSDs).

[0136] Although this application has been described herein in conjunction with various embodiments, those skilled in the art, by reviewing the accompanying drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims, will understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments in carrying out the claimed application. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude multiple instances. A single processor or other unit can implement several functions listed in the claims. While different dependent claims may recite certain measures, this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

[0137] Although this application has been described in conjunction with specific features and embodiments, it is obvious that various modifications and combinations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Accordingly, this specification and drawings are merely exemplary illustrations of this application as defined by the appended claims, and are considered to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents within the scope of this application. Clearly, those skilled in the art can make various alterations and modifications to this application without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Thus, if such modifications and modifications of this application fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application is also intended to include such modifications and modifications.

[0138] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system, characterized in that, The air conditioning system includes: The outdoor unit is used to dissipate heat from the refrigerant compressed by the compressor in cooling mode, and to absorb heat from the refrigerant output by the indoor unit in heating mode. A power line carrier communication gateway, located inside the outdoor unit, is used to communicate with intelligent devices located on any one of the three phases of the power line; A three-phase coupler is used to forward the communication signal of the power line carrier communication gateway to the smart device on any phase of the three-phase power line, and to forward the communication signal of the smart device to the power line carrier communication gateway. The controller is configured as follows: Obtain multiple communication quality parameters between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device; When the multiple communication quality conditions are met respectively, the three-phase coupler is controlled to be in a first working state; in the first working state, the three-phase coupler is used to notify the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device respectively to enhance the transmission power of the communication signal.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple communication qualities include a first communication quality between the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device, a second communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the smart device, and a third communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway.

3. The air conditioning system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The preset quality condition means that the first communication quality is less than the preset quality threshold, and the second and third communication qualities are both greater than or equal to the preset quality threshold.

4. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to: In the first operating state, the three-phase coupler is controlled to enhance the transmission power of the communication signal being forwarded.

5. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before acquiring multiple communication quality data between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device, the controller is further configured to: The three-phase coupler is controlled to be in a second operating state; When the three-phase coupler is in the second operating state, the three-phase coupler is controlled to forward the communication signal of the power line carrier communication gateway to the smart device on any phase of the three-phase power line, and to forward the communication signal of the smart device to the power line carrier communication gateway.

6. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to: If the multiple communication quality conditions are not met, the three-phase coupler is controlled to be in a second working state.

7. The air conditioning system according to claim 5, characterized in that, Before the controller is set to the second operating state, the controller is further configured to: In response to the operation of a mobile terminal scanning the QR code of the three-phase coupler, the system controls the establishment of an association between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway; the association indicates that the power line carrier communication network trusts the three-phase coupler and communicates with the three-phase coupler.

8. The air conditioning system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to: A notification message is sent to the mobile terminal; the mobile terminal is used to display the notification message; the notification message includes multiple communication qualities between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device, the operating status of the three-phase coupler, and the transmission power of the three-phase coupler forwarding the communication signal.

9. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The three-phase coupler includes a power line carrier communication module; The power line carrier communication module is used to detect multiple communication qualities between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the smart device when the three-phase coupler is in any operating state, and to adjust the transmission power of the three-phase coupler for forwarding the communication signal when the three-phase coupler is in a first operating state.

10. A control method for an air conditioning system, characterized in that, include: Multiple communication qualities are obtained between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the intelligent device; the intelligent device is located on any phase of the three-phase power line. When the multiple communication quality conditions are respectively satisfied by preset quality conditions, the three-phase coupler is controlled to be in a first working state; in the first working state, the three-phase coupler is used to forward the communication signal of the power line carrier communication gateway to the smart device, and forward the communication signal of the smart device to the power line carrier communication gateway; and the three-phase coupler is also used to notify the power line carrier communication gateway and the smart device to enhance the transmission power of the communication signal.

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