Electronic device with upgradable functionality and air conditioner

Abstract

The present application provides an electronic device with upgradeable functions and an air conditioner. The air conditioner of an embodiment of the present application can include a plurality of indoor units; and an outdoor unit connected to the plurality of indoor units. A first indoor unit among the plurality of indoor units is selected as a master device. The first indoor unit receives data for function upgrade from the outside and transmits the data to two or more data receiving devices among the second indoor unit or more other than the first indoor unit among the plurality of indoor units and the outdoor unit in a broadcast manner. The plurality of data receiving devices sequentially transmit a reception confirmation signal to the first indoor unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an electronic device with upgradable functionality and a method for upgrading the functionality of the electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Electronic devices include a control unit that controls the operation of the electronic device. The control unit controls the electronic device by executing specific programs to achieve the functions expected by the user.

[0003] Typically, after the sale of electronic devices, only simple support such as bug fixing is provided. Therefore, if a user needs an electronic device with new functions, they must purchase a new one. In other words, the residual value of the electronic devices purchased by users decreases significantly over time, which becomes a source of dissatisfaction for users.

[0004] Therefore, methods are being studied to improve the functionality of electronic devices or add functions that electronic devices can perform by modifying the program, and some of these methods are being implemented in practice.

[0005] To modify the program, it is necessary to transfer data containing the program. However, such data transfer takes a significant amount of time, which becomes an obstacle to modifying the program. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method for more conveniently upgrading the functionality of electronic devices.

[0007] In addition, the present invention aims to provide an apparatus and method that can shorten the time required to upgrade the functionality of electronic devices.

[0008] The objectives of this invention are not limited to those mentioned above. Other objectives and advantages of this invention not mentioned can be understood through the following description and can be further clearly understood through embodiments of this invention. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the objectives and advantages of this invention can be achieved through the means and combinations thereof given in the claims.

[0009] In an embodiment of the electronic device and method of the present invention, when transmitting data for functional upgrade of the electronic device, a first electronic device selected as the master device may transmit data to a plurality of second electronic devices in a broadcast manner, and the plurality of second electronic devices may sequentially reply with a reception confirmation signal to the first electronic device.

[0010] An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include: a first communication unit that receives data for function upgrade from an external source; and a main control unit that receives the data from the first communication unit and retransmits the data or uses the data to perform a predetermined function. The main control unit may broadcast the data to a plurality of devices and may sequentially receive reception confirmation signals from the plurality of devices.

[0011] The first communication unit of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a wireless fidelity communication module.

[0012] An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include: a second communication unit, which receives the data from the main control unit, sends the data to a plurality of the devices, receives the reception confirmation signal from the plurality of the devices, and sends the reception confirmation signal to the main control unit.

[0013] The second communication unit of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an asynchronous serial communication module.

[0014] An embodiment of the present invention may be an air conditioner comprising an outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor units connected to the outdoor unit.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the outdoor unit of an air conditioner can select a first indoor unit among a plurality of indoor units as the main device.

[0016] In this case, the first indoor unit can receive data for function upgrades from the outside and broadcast the data to one or more second indoor units (excluding the first indoor unit) and two or more data receiving devices among the outdoor units.

[0017] In addition, the plurality of data receiving devices can sequentially send a reception confirmation signal to the first indoor unit.

[0018] The first indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention may include: a first communication unit for receiving data from the outside; and a second communication unit for sending the data to a plurality of data receiving devices and receiving the reception confirmation signal from the plurality of data receiving devices, and for sending and receiving the data in a manner different from that of the first communication unit.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transmission speed of the second communication unit of the electronic device may be less than the transmission speed of the first communication unit.

[0020] In one embodiment of the present invention, the number of the second indoor units of the air conditioner may be two or more.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, the outdoor unit of an air conditioner can assign internal unique numbers to the first indoor unit and a plurality of second indoor units respectively.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of second indoor units of an air conditioner can sequentially send the reception confirmation signal based on the internal inherent number.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first indoor unit of an air conditioner may send a request signal to a plurality of second indoor units for requesting the transmission of the reception confirmation signal, and the plurality of second indoor units may respectively send the reception confirmation signal in response to the request signal.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of second indoor units of an air conditioner can each determine their own standby time based on their assigned internal unique number and unit standby time, and send the reception confirmation signal at a time point elapsed from the time point when the request signal is received until their own standby time has elapsed.

[0025] An embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic device upgrade method comprising a first electronic device and a plurality of data receiving devices connected to the first electronic device. The method may include: a step whereby the first electronic device receives data for a function upgrade from an external source; a step whereby the first electronic device broadcasts the data to the plurality of data receiving devices; and a step whereby the plurality of data receiving devices sequentially send a reception confirmation signal to the first electronic device.

[0026] In an embodiment of the present invention, the first electronic device in the method for upgrading an electronic device may be a first indoor unit of an air conditioner, and the plurality of data receiving devices may be two or more of an outdoor unit connected to the first indoor unit and one or more second indoor units connected to the outdoor unit.

[0027] An embodiment of the electronic device upgrade method of the present invention may further include the step of the outdoor unit selecting the first indoor unit as the master device for transmitting data.

[0028] The electronic device and method according to an embodiment of the present invention can more conveniently upgrade the functionality of electronic devices.

[0029] Furthermore, the electronic device and method according to an embodiment of the present invention can shorten the time required to upgrade the functionality of electronic devices.

[0030] In addition to the effects described above, the specific effects of the present invention will be described together with the following description of the specific matters for carrying out the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of an upgraded electronic device system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a system for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is shown in more detail below. Figure 1 A diagram of user devices.

[0033] Figure 3 This is a block diagram schematically illustrating the structure of a management server for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 4 This is a block diagram schematically illustrating the structure of an upgradeable home appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 5 This is a block diagram schematically illustrating a home appliance with multiple devices separately arranged in an upgradeable home appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figures 6 to 8 These are diagrams illustrating the overall operation of a method for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating the method of transmitting program data in a method for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The above-described objects, features, and advantages will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Therefore, those skilled in the art can readily implement the technical concept of this invention. In the description of this invention, detailed descriptions of well-known technologies related to this invention are omitted if they are deemed likely to obscure the main points of the invention. Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same or similar structural elements.

[0039] While terms like "first," "second," etc., are used to describe a variety of structural elements, these structural elements are not limited to these terms. The terms are used only to distinguish one structural element from others; unless otherwise specified, a first structural element can be a second structural element.

[0040] In the following, when a structural element is described as "connected", "combined", or "attached" to other structural elements, it should be understood that the aforementioned structural element can be directly connected to or linked to the aforementioned other structural elements, or that other structural elements are sandwiched between each structural element, or that each structural element is "connected", "combined", or "attached" through other structural elements.

[0041] Throughout this specification, unless otherwise stated, structural elements may be singular or plural.

[0042] Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular expressions used in this specification include the plural expressions. In this application, terms such as "consisting of R" or "comprising" should not be construed as necessarily including all structural elements or steps described in the specification, but may exclude some structural elements or steps, or may include additional structural elements or steps.

[0043] Throughout the scope of this specification, when described as “A and / or B”, it means A, B, or A and B unless specifically stated otherwise; when described as “C to D”, it means C and below unless specifically stated otherwise.

[0044] The following describes several embodiments of an upgradeable electronic device and a method for upgrading the electronic device according to the present invention.

[0045] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a system for upgrading electronic devices according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a management server 100 and a plurality of user devices 210, 220, 230, and 240.

[0046] The management server 100 can store information about electronic devices to be upgraded and information about electronic devices owned by individual users.

[0047] Information about the electronic device to be upgraded may include the latest version of the device's program data. According to an embodiment, the information may also include one or more of the following: identification information of the electronic device, program data of the electronic device for different previous versions, and delta data derived from a comparison of previous version program data and the latest version program data. The program data, as data related to the operation of the electronic device, represents data that can improve the functionality of the electronic device or add new functions to it. For example, in the case of an air conditioner, the program data may be data for improving one or more programs for adjusting airflow, airflow direction, and indoor temperature; or it may be data for improving images displayed through a display module or for displaying new images; or it may be data related to voice guidance via a voice guidance module.

[0048] Information about the electronic devices owned by each user may include user identification information and identification information of electronic devices linked to the user identification information.

[0049] The management server 100 can send data for upgrading the functions of each user device 210, 220, 230, and 240. The data for upgrading functions may include the latest version of the program data for the electronic device and / or the incremental data. Additionally, according to an embodiment, the data sent by the management server 100 may also include a set of instructions that need to be executed on each user device 210, 220, 230, and 240.

[0050] Each of the plurality of user devices 210, 220, 230, and 240 may include one or more electronic devices. Here, electronic devices may include various forms of home appliances such as air conditioners, air purifiers, refrigerators, washing machines, clothes management machines, and water purifiers, mobile devices such as smartphones, and various forms of electronic devices contained in automobiles (e.g., devices for autonomous driving or devices for controlling vehicle operation).

[0051] Furthermore, the plurality of user devices 210, 220, 230, and 240 may each include more than one user terminal. Each of the more than one electronic device may update program data in response to a file (i.e., a file containing incremental data and / or a set of instructions) received from the management server 100.

[0052] The following explanation uses the upgrading of a home appliance as an example of an electronic device to be upgraded. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0053] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a system for upgrading an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is shown in more detail below. Figure 1 A diagram of user equipment. A system according to an embodiment of the present invention may include: a management server 100, an access point 300, a plurality of home appliances 410, 420, 430, 440, 500, and 600, and a user terminal 700. That is, Figure 1 The plurality of user equipment 210, 220, 230, and 240 may each include one or more of the following: access point 300, a plurality of home appliances 410, 420, 430, 440, 500, and 600, and user terminal 700.

[0054] The functions of management server 100 can be combined with Figure 1 The content described in the text is the same.

[0055] Access point 300 can function as a relay management server 100 and home appliances 410, 420, 500, and 600. Access point 300 can also be a Wi-Fi router.

[0056] Multiple household appliances 410, 420, 430, 440, 500, and 600 can each perform their inherent functions according to the operation of their respective programs.

[0057] Home appliances 410, 420, 430, and 440 can be multiple devices that are separately installed and interconnected to perform a specified function. For example, home appliance 410, 420, and 430 can be indoor units of an air conditioner that regulates any one of indoor temperature, humidity, and air quality, and home appliance 440 can be an outdoor unit of the air conditioner connected to the indoor unit. The air quality may include the concentration of particulate matter and / or the concentration of chemicals that cause odors, etc. In addition, home appliances 410 and 420 may include communication modules (e.g., wireless fidelity modules) that can be connected to access point 300. Furthermore, home appliances 410, 420, 430, and 440 may include communication modules that can communicate with each other. Household appliances 410 (first-first), 420 (first-second), and 430 (first-third) can each adjust one or more of the following parameters according to their respective programs: indoor air temperature, humidity, and particulate matter concentration. Household appliance 440 can control one or more of the following actions according to its respective program: compressor and fan.

[0058] The second appliance 500 and the third appliance 600 can each be independently operating appliances. For example, the second appliance 500 and the third appliance 600 can each be one of various appliances such as a washing machine, an air purifier, a clothes management machine, and a refrigerator. The second appliance 500 and the third appliance 600 can each include a communication module (e.g., a wireless fidelity module).

[0059] User terminal 700 can be a mobile terminal for a user who has multiple home appliances 410, 420, 430, 440, 500, or 600.

[0060] According to the embodiment, access point 300 can be excluded. In this case, home appliances 410, 420, 500, and 600 can connect to management server 100 via the Internet or other networks. In this case, home appliances 410, 420, 500, and 600 can connect to management server 100 via wired and / or wireless means.

[0061] Figure 3 This is a block diagram schematically illustrating the structure of a management server for an upgraded electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The management server 100 may include a control unit 110, a communication unit 120, and a storage unit 130.

[0062] The control unit 110 can send program data stored in the storage unit 130. At this time, the program data sent by the control unit 110 can be the latest version of the program data. According to an embodiment, the control unit 110 can generate incremental data for different home appliances based on the data stored in the storage unit 130, and can also send data to the home appliances via the communication unit 120. Figure 2 The control unit 110 (410, 420, 500, 600) sends incremental data. When sending program data and / or incremental data, the control unit 110 can also simultaneously send data to be sent by the home appliance (…). Figure 2 The instruction set executed by the control unit of (410, 420, 500, 600).

[0063] The control unit 110 may include at least one processing unit and / or memory. The processing unit may include, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), etc., and may have multiple cores. The memory may be volatile memory (e.g., RAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., ROM, Lightning Memory, etc.), or a combination thereof.

[0064] The communication unit 120 can transmit signals to the outside according to the control of the control unit 110. Additionally, the communication unit 120 can receive signals from the outside and can transmit the received signals to the control unit 110. The communication unit 120 can receive signals in a wired and / or wireless manner. The communication unit 120 may include: a modem or network interface card (NIC) or an integrated network interface or radio frequency transmitter / receiver or infrared port or USB connection or other interfaces for communicating with other computing devices.

[0065] Under the control of the control unit 110, the storage unit 130 can store data received through the communication unit 120 and / or data processed by the control unit 110. For example, the storage unit 130 can store one or more of the following: user identification information, identification information of home appliances associated with user identification information, program data of home appliances according to different versions, and incremental data derived from the comparison results of program data of each previous version and the latest version of program data.

[0066] Figure 4This is a block diagram schematically illustrating the structure of an upgradeable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include: a first communication unit 810, a control unit 820, and a third storage unit 830. The first communication unit 810 may include a storage unit 811 and a transceiver unit 812, and the control unit 820 may include a processing unit 821, a first storage unit 822, and a second storage unit 823. Figure 2 The household appliances 410, 420, 500, and 600 can respectively include Figure 4 The structure shown. Additionally, according to an embodiment, an electronic device of the present invention may not include a portion of the first storage unit 822, the second storage unit 823, and the third storage unit 830.

[0067] First Communications Department 810 from the management server ( Figure 1 or Figure 2 The 100 unit receives data and can send the received data to the control unit 820. From the management server ( Figure 1 or Figure 2 The data received by the control unit 810 may include one or more of the following: program data, the incremental data described above, and instructions executed by the control unit 820. The first communication unit 810 may include a radio frequency transmitter / receiver, an infrared port, a USB connection, or other interfaces. For example, the first communication unit 810 may include a short-range communication module that transmits and receives signals according to communication standards such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

[0068] Storage unit 811 can store data from the management server ( Figure 1 or Figure 2 The data received by (100). The storage unit 811 can be a non-volatile memory. For example, the storage unit 811 can be flash memory.

[0069] The transceiver unit 812 can send the data stored in the storage unit 811 to the control unit 820.

[0070] The control unit 820 can store programs for implementing the functions of home appliances, and can execute the specified functions by executing the stored programs, thereby controlling the home appliances to perform specific functions. Furthermore, the control unit 820 can update the stored programs in response to data received from the first communication unit 810.

[0071] The processing unit 821 may include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), etc., and may have multiple cores.

[0072] The first storage unit 822 can be a non-volatile memory. For example, the first storage unit 822 can be a lightning memory. The first storage unit 822 can store the program.

[0073] The second storage unit 823 may be a volatile memory. For example, the second storage unit 823 may be a random access memory (RAM). The second storage unit 823 may load a portion of the program data stored in the first storage unit 822, and the program data stored in the second storage unit 823 may be written to a specific area of ​​the first storage unit 822.

[0074] The third storage unit 830 can be a non-volatile memory. The third storage unit can be one of lightning storage, magnetic storage, or optical storage. Programs used to perform the functions of household appliances can also be stored in the third storage unit 830.

[0075] Figure 5 This is a block diagram schematically illustrating a plurality of separately arranged devices in an upgradeable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As described above, the first-1 household appliance 410, the first-2 household appliance 420, and the first-3 household appliance 430 may be indoor units of an air conditioner, and the first-4 household appliance 440 may be an outdoor unit of an air conditioner. Additionally, as... Figure 2 As described above, the first-1 home appliance 410 and the first-2 home appliance 420 can connect to the management server 100 through the access point 300 and / or the Internet network, etc.

[0076] The first-1 home appliance 410 may include a first communication unit 411, a main control unit 412, and a second communication unit 413. According to an embodiment, the first-1 home appliance 410 may also include one or more of a display module 414, a voice guidance module 415, and a sensor unit 416.

[0077] The First Communications Unit 411 can be accessed from the management server ( Figure 1 and Figure 2 The first communication unit 411 can receive data and send the received data to the main control unit 412. The first communication unit 411 may have a communication interface with... Figure 4 It has the same structure as the first communication unit 810 and can perform the same functions.

[0078] The main control unit 412 can receive data from the first communication unit 411 and can send the received data to the second communication unit 413. If the data received from the first communication unit 411 is data used in the display module 414 and / or the voice guidance module 415, the main control unit 412 can also send the data to the display module 414 and / or the voice guidance module 415. The main control unit 412 may have... Figure 4 It has the same structure as the control unit 820 and can perform the same functions.

[0079] The second communication unit 413 can transmit and receive data with one or more of the first-second home appliances 420, the first-third home appliances 430, and the first-fourth home appliances 440. The second communication unit 413 can transmit and receive data using asynchronous serial communication. Using asynchronous serial communication simplifies the hardware implementation of the home appliances. Furthermore, the second communication unit 413 can transmit and receive data at speeds from 4800 bps to 4 Mbps. Preferably, the second communication unit 413 can transmit and receive data at a speed of 9600 bps. As described above, the first-first home appliance 410 can be the indoor unit of an air conditioner, and the first-fourth home appliances 440 can be the outdoor unit of an air conditioner. Considering the distance between the indoor and outdoor units of the air conditioner in a typical installation environment and their surrounding environment, the aforementioned communication speed improves transmission speed while ensuring communication reliability. For example, the second communication unit 413 can include a Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter (UART) to transmit and receive data using RS485 communication. The second communication unit 413 may include a buffer capable of temporarily storing data.

[0080] Display module 414 can visually display a variety of information for user convenience. For example, display module 414 can display one or more of the following: information related to the operation of home appliances, information related to the status of home appliances, and other daily life information. Display module 414 can operate under the control of main control unit 412, or it may include a separate display control unit. For the operation of display module 414, specified data can be transmitted from a management server. Display module 414 can receive the data through main control unit 412.

[0081] The voice guidance module 415 can represent various information using sound to facilitate the user. Similar to the display module 414, the voice guidance module 415 can use sound to represent one or more of the following: information related to the operation of home appliances, information related to the status of home appliances, and other daily life information. The voice guidance module 415 can operate under the control of the main control unit 412, or it may include a separate voice control unit. For the voice guidance module 415 to operate, specified data can be transmitted from the management server. The voice guidance module 415 can receive this data through the main control unit 412.

[0082] Sensor unit 416 can acquire information related to the operation of home appliances. For example, in the case of an air conditioner, sensor unit 416 can sense one or more of the following: indoor temperature, temperature of the air discharged from the air conditioner, indoor humidity, and temperature and / or pressure of the circulating refrigerant. Sensor unit 416 may include more than one type of sensor.

[0083] The first-second home appliance 420 may have a structure substantially the same as the first-first home appliance 410. That is, the first communication unit 421, the main control unit 422, the second communication unit 423, the display module 424, the voice guidance module 425, and the sensor unit 426 may be substantially the same as the first communication unit 411, the main control unit 412, the second communication unit 413, the display module 414, the voice guidance module 415, and the sensor unit 416, respectively.

[0084] Except for the exclusion of the first communication unit, the first-third home appliances 430 can be substantially the same as the first-first home appliance. That is, the main control unit 432, the second communication unit 433, the display module 434, the voice guidance module 435, and the sensor unit 436 can be substantially the same as the main control unit 412, the second communication unit 413, the display module 414, the voice guidance module 415, and the sensor unit 416, respectively.

[0085] The main control unit 442 and the second communication unit 443 of the first-fourth home appliances 440 can be substantially the same as the main control unit 412 and the second communication unit 413 of the first-first home appliance 410. As described above, the first-fourth home appliance 440 can be the outdoor unit of an air conditioner. In this case, the first-fourth home appliance 440 may also include a compressor 444 and a fan 445, etc. The main control unit 442 can use the program contained in the data received from the first-first home appliance 410 to control the compressor 444 and / or the fan 445, etc. The first-fourth home appliance 440 may also include a sensor unit 446 for acquiring information related to the operation of the home appliance. When the first-fourth home appliance 440 is the outdoor unit of an air conditioner, the sensor unit 446 can sense one or more of the following: refrigerant pressure, temperature, outdoor temperature, and outdoor humidity. The sensor unit 446 may include one or more sensors.

[0086] exist Figure 2 and Figure 5 The illustration shows an air conditioner with an outdoor unit connected to three indoor units, as an example of an electronic device to be upgraded. However, the number of indoor units connected to one outdoor unit (e.g., appliance 440, number 1-4) can be adjusted as needed. For example, in the case of an air conditioner used in a large building, dozens or more indoor units can be connected to one outdoor unit.

[0087] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating the overall operation of a method for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0088] First, the first communication unit 810 may request information (product information) about the home appliance from the control unit 820 (step S101). The product information may be the identification information of the home appliance. The identification information may include any one or more of the home appliance's serial number and model number. In step S101, the management server 100 may request the home appliance information from the first communication unit 810, and the first communication unit 810 may respond by requesting the home appliance information from the control unit 820.

[0089] Next, the control unit 820 may respond to the request for product information by replying to the first communication unit 810 with information about the home appliance (e.g., identification information of the home appliance) (step S102).

[0090] Next, the first communication unit 810 can request information from the management server 100 regarding whether any home appliances require upgrades (step S103). At this time, the first communication unit 810 can send the home appliance information (home appliance identification information) to the management server 100. Additionally, the first communication unit 810 can also send additional user information to the management server 100. When sending and receiving data with the management server 100, the first communication unit 810 can use a repeater to send and receive data. The repeater can be... Figure 2 The access point.

[0091] Next, the management server 100 can reply with upgrade information to the first communication unit 810 (step S104). The upgrade information may include one or more of the following: information regarding whether the home appliance requires an upgrade based on information about the home appliance, and information about the upgrade item or content. Therefore, the management server 100 can determine whether the home appliance needs an upgrade. Furthermore, the management server 100 can also determine the upgrade method. For example, the management server 100 can determine what the upgrade item is and accordingly determine the upgrade method. Upgrade methods may include: full upgrade, differential upgrade, and background upgrade.

[0092] Additionally, the management server 100 can also provide the upgrade information to the user terminal 700 (step S105). The management server 100 can utilize the storage unit ( Figure 3 The information stored in the first communication unit 810 can be used to retrieve information about the user of the home appliance, or user information can be received from the first communication unit 810.

[0093] Next, if the user accepts the upgrade using the user terminal 700, the information about accepting the upgrade can be sent from the user terminal 700 to the management server 100 (step S106).

[0094] Users can also receive upgrades using the input / output devices of their home appliances, instead of using the user terminal 700.

[0095] In response to the user's acceptance of the upgrade, the management server 100 may request the first communication unit 810 to begin the upgrade (step S107). In this step, the management server 100 may also determine the upgrade method. The determination of the upgrade method can be easily understood by referring to the explanation of step S104.

[0096] In response to the upgrade start request of the management server 100, the first communication unit 810 may request file transfer (step S108).

[0097] In response to a file transfer request from the first communication unit 810, the management server 100 may send a file containing data for upgrading home appliances to the first communication unit 810 (step S109). The data for upgrading may include one or more of the latest version of program data, incremental data, and / or instruction sets.

[0098] The first communication unit 810 and the control unit 820 can use the file received from the management server 100 to update the program of the home appliance (step S110).

[0099] If the upgrade is complete, the first communication unit 810 can reply to the management server 100 that the upgrade is complete (step S111).

[0100] In response to the upgrade completion reply received from the first communication unit 810, the management server 100 can provide the user terminal with information related to the upgrade completion (step S112).

[0101] As mentioned above, Figure 6 The control unit 820 can be Figure 5 Main control unit 412, Figure 6 The first communications unit 810 can be Figure 5 The first communication unit 411.

[0102] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating the overall operation of a method for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0103] First, the management server 100 can request information about the first to third home appliances 430 from the first communication unit 411 of the first-1 home appliance 410 (step S121). Figure 6Similarly, the information of the first-third home appliances 430 can be the identification information of the first-third home appliances 430, which can include any one or more of the serial number and model number of the first-third home appliances 430.

[0104] Product information requests transmitted from the management server 100 to the first communication unit 411 can be transmitted through the main control unit 412 of the first-1 home appliance 410, the second communication unit 413 of the first-1 home appliance 410, and the second communication unit 433 of the first-3 home appliance 430 to the main control unit 432 of the first-3 home appliance 430 (steps S122 to S125).

[0105] In response to a product information request, the main control unit 432 of the first-third home appliance 430 can send information about the first-third home appliance (e.g., identification information of the first-third home appliance) to the management server 100 via the second communication unit 433 of the first-third home appliance 430, the second communication unit 413 of the first-first home appliance 410, the main control unit 412 of the first-first home appliance 410, and the first communication unit 411 of the first-first home appliance 410 (steps S126 to S130).

[0106] Next, the management server 100 can reply with the aforementioned upgrade information. More specifically, the management server 100 can provide the aforementioned upgrade information to the main control unit 432 of the first-third home appliance 430 through the first communication unit 411 of the first-first home appliance 410, the main control unit 412 of the first-first home appliance 410, the second communication unit 413 of the first-first home appliance 410, and the second communication unit 433 of the first-third home appliance 430 (steps S133 to S137). Additionally, the management server 100 can also provide the aforementioned upgrade information to the user terminal 700 (step S132). The management server 100 can utilize the storage unit ( Figure 3 The information stored in the first communication unit 411 can be used to retrieve information about the user of the home appliance, or user information can be received from the first communication unit 411.

[0107] Next, the management server 100 can receive the acceptance of the upgrade. More specifically, the management server 100 can receive the acceptance of the upgrade from the main control unit 432 of the first-third home appliances 430 through the second communication unit 433 of the first-third home appliances 430, the second communication unit 413 of the first-first home appliances 410, the main control unit 412 of the first-first home appliances 410, and the first communication unit 411 of the first-first home appliances 410. For example, the first-third home appliances 430 can display the upgrade information through a display unit (e.g., a display panel or LED, etc.), receive user input through an input unit (touchpad, switch, or remote control, etc.), and in response, send the acceptance of the upgrade to the management server 100. Alternatively, if the user accepts the upgrade using the user terminal 700, the information about accepting the upgrade can also be sent from the user terminal 700 to the management server 100 (step S143).

[0108] Next, the management server 100 can determine the upgrade method (step S144). For example, the management server 100 can determine what item needs to be upgraded and determine the upgrade method accordingly. The upgrade method may include: full upgrade, differential upgrade, and background upgrade.

[0109] Next, in response to the user's acceptance of the upgrade, the management server 100 may request the first communication unit 411 to start the upgrade (step S145).

[0110] In response to the upgrade start request of the management server 100, the first communication unit 411 may request file transfer (step S146).

[0111] In response to a file transfer request from the first communication unit 411, the management server 100 may send a file containing data for upgrading home appliances to the first communication unit 411 (step S147). The data for upgrading may include the latest version of program data, incremental data, and / or one or more of the instruction set.

[0112] One or more of the first communication unit 411 of the first-1 home appliance 410, the main control unit 412 of the first-1 home appliance 410, the second communication unit 413 of the first-1 home appliance 410, the second communication unit 433 of the first-3 home appliance 430, and the main control unit 432 of the first-3 home appliance 430 can upgrade the home appliance using a received file (step S148). The process of upgrading the home appliance may include one or more of the process of transmitting data and the process of replacing the data stored in the home appliance with the data of the received file.

[0113] If the upgrade is complete, the first communication unit 411 can reply to the management server 100 that the upgrade is complete (step S149).

[0114] In response to the upgrade completion reply received from the first communication unit 411, the management server 100 can provide the user terminal 700 with information related to the upgrade completion (step S150).

[0115] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating the overall operation of a method for upgrading home appliances according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0116] exist Figure 8 In the middle, used with Figure 7 The same reference numerals indicate the process and Figure 7 The description is the same as above. That is, except that the data for upgrading the home appliances is transmitted to the first-to-third home appliances 430 before receiving acceptance of the upgrade from the user, Figure 8 The embodiments shown can be compared with Figure 7 The explanation is the same as in the previous text.

[0117] More specifically, if the management server 100 receives information about the home appliances 430 from the first to third home appliances, the management server 100 can determine whether to upgrade and how to upgrade (step S131-1). Step S131-1 can be combined with... Figure 7 Steps S131 and S144 are the same.

[0118] Subsequently, the management server 100 can request the first communication unit 411 to begin the upgrade (step S131-2). In response to the upgrade start request from the management server 100, the first communication unit 411 can request file transfer (step S131-3). In response to the file transfer request from the first communication unit 411, the management server 100 can send a file containing data for upgrading home appliances to the first communication unit 411 (step S131-4). Steps S131-2 to S131-4 can be combined with… Figure 7 Steps S145 to S147 are the same.

[0119] Subsequently, in response to the user's acceptance of the upgrade, the management server 100 may send an upgrade execution request to the first communication unit 411. In response to the upgrade execution request from the management server 100, one or more of the following components may upgrade the home appliance using the received file: the first communication unit 411 of the first-1 home appliance 410, the main control unit 412 of the first-1 home appliance 410, the second communication unit 413 of the first-1 home appliance 410, the second communication unit 433 of the first-3 home appliance 430, and the main control unit 432 of the first-3 home appliance 430 (step S148).

[0120] Figure 9This is a diagram illustrating the method of transmitting program data in a method for upgrading an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the transmission of data from the first-1 home appliance 410 to the first-2 home appliance 420, the first-3 home appliance 430, and the first-4 home appliance 440.

[0121] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 9 The method for transmitting data in an embodiment of the present invention for upgrading an electronic device will be described.

[0122] First, any one of the interconnected home appliances can select a master device and notify the selected device of the selection result (step S201). In the case where home appliances 410 to 440 are split-type air conditioners, home appliances 440, which are outdoor units, can select a master device. This is because all indoor units must be connected to the outdoor unit, and the outdoor unit has all the information about the indoor units. Home appliances 440 can select the home appliance among home appliances 410, 420, and 430 that can receive data from the management server 100 as the master device.

[0123] When there are multiple home appliances that can receive data from the management server 100, the main device can be selected according to the order in which it is connected to the first to fourth home appliances 440, or according to the performance of the first-1 communication unit and / or the first-2 communication unit, etc.

[0124] For example, the first to fourth home appliances 440 can assign internal intrinsic addresses to the first-1 home appliance 410, the first-2 home appliance 420, and the first-3 home appliance 420 according to the order in which they are connected. Then, the first to fourth home appliances 440 can use these internal intrinsic addresses to select a master device. More specifically, the first to fourth home appliances 440 can select the home appliance assigned the fastest internal intrinsic address (e.g., address 1 or address 0) as the master device. According to an embodiment, the first to fourth home appliances 440 can also assign internal intrinsic addresses based on the ports to which the first-1 home appliance 410, the first-2 home appliance 420, and the first-3 home appliance 420 are respectively connected.

[0125] Alternatively, the first-fourth home appliances 440 may receive information about the performance of the first-1 communication unit and / or the first-2 communication unit from the first-1 home appliance 410, the first-2 home appliance 420, and the first-3 home appliance 420 respectively, and select the home appliance with the best performance (e.g., transmission speed) of the first-1 communication unit and / or the first-2 communication unit as the master device. According to the embodiment, the first-fourth home appliances 440 may also know the data transmission and reception status of the first-1 home appliance 410, the first-2 home appliance 420, and the first-3 home appliance 420 respectively, and know the performance of the first-2 communication unit of the first-1 home appliance 410, the first-2 home appliance 420, and the first-3 home appliance 420 respectively based on the result.

[0126] Hereinafter, it is assumed that the first-1 household appliance 410 is selected as the main appliance.

[0127] Next, the main control unit 412 of the first-1 home appliance 410 can send information that the first-1 home appliance 410 has been selected as the main device and / or an upgrade request to the first communication unit 411 (step S202).

[0128] The first communication unit 411 of the first-1 household appliance 410 can be as follows Figures 6 to 8 The system receives upgrade data from the management server 100 in the manner described above and sends the data to the main control unit 412 of the first-1 home appliance 410 (step S203). In this case, if the size of the data received from the management server 100 is larger than the unit size, the first communication unit 411 may divide the received data into multiple unit data items of unit size and send the unit data items sequentially. In this case, the unit size can be 256 bytes.

[0129] Next, the main control unit 412 can broadcast the received data (or unit data) to two or more of the first-second home appliances 420, the first-third home appliances 430, and the first-fourth home appliances 440 (step S204). According to the embodiment, the first-first home appliance 410 can be one of the indoor units of a split-type air conditioner, and the main control unit 412 of the first-first home appliance 410 can broadcast the data to other indoor units (i.e., the first-second home appliances 420 and the first-third home appliances 430) connected to the outdoor unit (i.e., the first-fourth home appliances 440) connected to it.

[0130] Broadcast transmission refers to the simultaneous transmission of the same data to two or more home appliances. In this case, the data sent from the main control unit 412 can be transmitted to the main control units 422, 432, and 442 of each home appliance via the second communication unit 413 of the first-1 home appliance 410 and the second communication units 423, 433, and 443 of each home appliance. According to the embodiment, in step S204, one unit of data can be sent, or multiple units of data can be sent sequentially.

[0131] Next, the home appliances that received data in the first-second home appliance 420, the first-third home appliance 430, and the first-fourth home appliance 440 can sequentially send a reception confirmation signal to the first-first home appliance 410 (steps S205, S206, and S207). At this time, the main control unit 412 of the first-first home appliance 410 can broadcast a request signal for requesting the transmission of the reception confirmation signal, and the home appliance can respond to the request signal by sending a reception confirmation signal.

[0132] The order in which home appliances 420, 430, and 440 send and receive confirmation signals can be preset. The order of sending and receiving confirmation signals can be set by home appliance 440 when it selects a master device, or it can be set by home appliance 410 when it is selected as the master device.

[0133] Let's take an air conditioner as an example. In the case of an air conditioner, data can be sent to appliances 1-2 420 and 1-3 430 (i.e., multiple indoor units). Furthermore, as mentioned above, appliances 1-2 420 and 1-3 430 (i.e., multiple indoor units) are connected to appliance 1-4 440 (i.e., the outdoor unit). At this time, internal unique numbers can be assigned to appliances 1-2 420 and 1-3 430 (i.e., multiple indoor units) according to the connection order. These internal unique numbers can be assigned sequentially. Each appliance 1-2 420 and 1-3 430 (i.e., multiple indoor units) can determine its own standby time based on its assigned internal unique number. More specifically, the first-second appliance 420 and the first-third appliance 430 (i.e., the plurality of indoor units) can each determine their own standby time by multiplying their assigned internal unique number by their unit standby time. For example, assuming the internal unique number assigned to the first-second appliance 420 is 2, the internal unique number assigned to the first-third appliance 430 is 3, and the unit standby time is 1 second, then the first-second appliance 420 can determine its own standby time to be 2 seconds, and the first-third appliance 430 can determine its own standby time to be 3 seconds. Then, if the first-first appliance 410 sends a request signal to request a reception confirmation signal, then the first-second appliance 420 and the first-third appliance 430 (i.e., the plurality of indoor units) can each send a reception confirmation signal at a point in time from the time the request signal was received, after their own standby time has elapsed.

[0134] In contrast, the first-second and third home appliances 420 and 430 (i.e., a plurality of indoor units) can also send a reception confirmation signal after sending a line occupancy signal. More specifically, if the first-first home appliance 410 sends a request signal, any one of the first-second and third home appliances 420 and 430 (i.e., a plurality of indoor units) can first send a line occupancy signal by broadcast. Other home appliances that receive the line occupancy signal can standby for a unit of standby time, and the home appliance that sent the line occupancy signal can send a reception confirmation signal within the unit of standby time. After the unit of standby time has elapsed, any of the home appliances that failed to send a reception confirmation signal can resend the line occupancy signal and can send the reception confirmation signal in the same manner.

[0135] Next, if the main control unit 412 receives a reception confirmation signal from all the home appliances, it can notify the first communication unit 411 that the data transmission is complete (step S208).

[0136] In the above-described embodiment of the air conditioner, the case where one of the indoor units becomes the master unit is shown, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, the outdoor unit can also become the master unit. For example, if the outdoor unit determines that none of the plurality of indoor units connected to it is suitable to operate as the master unit, or if the plurality of indoor units are all in a state where they cannot receive data from the management server, it can receive data from the management server itself and broadcast the received data to the plurality of indoor units connected to it. For this purpose, the outdoor unit (e.g., the first-fourth appliance 440) may also include a communication unit that communicates with the management server. According to the embodiment, after the indoor unit (e.g., the first-1 appliance 410) sends data for function upgrade to the outdoor unit (e.g., the first-fourth appliance 440), the outdoor unit (e.g., the first-fourth appliance 440) broadcasts the data to the other indoor units. In addition, in this case, the indoor units can sequentially send a reception confirmation signal to the outdoor unit. The actions of each indoor unit sending a reception confirmation signal can be coordinated with the outdoor unit's actions. Figure 9 The explanation is the same as in the previous text.

[0137] Although not illustrated, this describes the situation where data is divided into multiple unit data transmissions. Figure 9 The actions described above can be repeated until all data has been transmitted. That is, the first communication unit 411, upon receiving a completion notification, can send the next unit of data to the main control unit 412. If an abnormal data transmission is detected after receiving a reception confirmation signal, the previously transmitted data can also be retransmitted.

[0138] in addition, Figure 9 The data transmission method shown can be used more efficiently when multiple home appliances can be upgraded using the same data. For example, in the case of an air conditioner with several (in the embodiment, dozens or more) indoor units connected to an outdoor unit, such as... Figure 9 As shown, by having one indoor unit, which is selected as the master device, broadcast data to other indoor units and receive confirmation signals from the other indoor units in a time-division manner, the time required for data transmission can be shortened.

[0139] Although the invention has been described above with reference to the illustrated drawings, it is not limited to the embodiments and drawings disclosed in this specification. It is obvious that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the invention's technical concept. Furthermore, even if the effects corresponding to the structural elements of the invention are not explicitly described in the foregoing description of the embodiments, the effects predictable from the corresponding structural elements should be considered.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, in, include: Multiple indoor units; as well as An outdoor unit is connected to a plurality of indoor units, and the first indoor unit among the plurality of indoor units is selected as the main device. The first indoor unit receives data for function upgrades from the outside and broadcasts the data to two or more data receiving devices. These two or more data receiving devices are selected from one or more second indoor units and the outdoor unit. The one or more second indoor units are composed of indoor units other than the first indoor unit from a plurality of other indoor units. The plurality of data receiving devices sequentially send a reception confirmation signal to the first indoor unit.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein, The first indoor unit includes: A first communication unit receives the data from an external source; and The second communication unit sends the data to a plurality of data receiving devices and receives the reception confirmation signal from the plurality of data receiving devices, and sends and receives the data in a manner different from that of the first communication unit.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein, The first communication unit includes a wireless fidelity module.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein, The second communication unit includes an asynchronous serial communication module.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein, The transmission speed of the second communication unit is less than that of the first communication unit.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein, The number of the second indoor units is two or more. The outdoor unit assigns an internal unique number to the first indoor unit and a plurality of the second indoor units respectively.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein, A plurality of the second indoor units sequentially send the reception confirmation signal based on the internal unique number.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 7, wherein, The first indoor unit sends a request signal to a plurality of second indoor units to request the transmission of the reception confirmation signal. Each of the plurality of second indoor units responds to the request signal by sending the receipt confirmation signal.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 8, wherein, Each of the plurality of second indoor units determines its own standby time based on its assigned internal unique number and unit standby time, and sends the reception confirmation signal at a time point after its own standby time elapses from the time point at which the request signal is received.

Images